Miss Independent
by dreamer82687
Summary: CHAPTER 19 - The beginning of the sequel: Theresa and Fox have been seperated for 2 years, but fate will proove itself stronger when they unknowingly meet up on a online matchmaker! (Please Read and Review!!!)
1. Default Chapter

"Theresa, guess what?!" Gwen screeched as she walked into her room.  
  
"What?" Theresa asked. "Hurry, I'm dying with suspense." she said smiling brightly.  
  
"I'm pregnant and Ethan asked me to marry him!" She said happily.  
  
Theresa smile instantly faded. "Oh. Well...that's...great." she said grabbing hold of her dresser.  
  
"Are you ok?" Gwen asked.  
  
"Yeah. I'm fine." she said flashing Gwen a smile. She and Ethan had been secretly dating each other for awhile and it was a big shock to her that he was marrying Gwen. "He cheated on me." she whispered.  
  
"What did you say?" Gwen asked again.  
  
"I said I'm so happy for you!" Theresa said jumping up and giving Gwen a hug.  
  
"Yes, and I want you to be a bridesmaid since you're a great friend." she said beaming.  
  
"Ok. That's great!" Theresa said plastering a fake smile on her face.  
  
"Well, I'll see you later I guess?" Gwen said as she walked to the door.  
  
"Yeah. See you later...congratulations." Theresa called after her.  
  
"Ciao!" Gwen closed the door and left a sobbing Theresa behind her.  
  
___________________________________________________________________________________  
  
Ethan rubbed his eyes as he went to open the door. As he opened it Theresa immediately came running into the room with a binder.  
  
"What color invitations do you want?" she asked as she flipped through the binder.  
  
"It depends on what for." Ethan said giving her a weird look.  
  
"Hello Ethan! For you and Gwen's wedding!" she said giving him a nonchalant look. She then looked down at the binder and pointed out invitations to him, "You could have white, but that might be a little too plain so you could get trim or maybe even lace!" she said as she pointed at a few invitations. "Or you could get flowers. They could be pink or purple or yellow...but you're a guy so you might prefer blue, or red, or orange-"  
  
"Theresa." Ethan said quietly.  
  
Theresa paused and looked at him. "Oh so you don't want white." She looked back down at the binder and flipped through until she saw beige invitations. "Beige is a nice color too, but that would be plain also because you couldn't really put trim on it. What about another color? Like a rose pink or a baby blue..."  
  
"Theresa." he said a little louder.  
  
"Ok, so lets not talk about invitations." she said slamming the binder shut. She paused and then wiggled her finger, "Cake." she said starting to pace the room. "What flavor cake do you want? Do you want vanilla or chocolate, or even strawberry or pineapple..." she then began to sob. "I think you can get any flavor you want. You know mama-"  
  
"THERESA!!" Ethan yelled as he shook her.  
  
"What Ethan?" she asked as she pried his arms off of her shoulders. "I'm just trying to help plan you and Gwen's wedding."  
  
"Don't do this to yourself, ok?" he said silently. He stared at her as she got a glazed look over eyes and she began to shake her head.  
  
She slowly walked over to the table where she had put the wedding invitations and flipped through until she stopped at a white invitation with pink and blue trim. She fingered it and then smiled. "You know, this would have been our wedding invitation...I had everything planned, the dress, the way we would walk in..."  
  
Ethan walked up to her and put his hands up in protest. "Stop it. Please."  
  
Theresa sniffed and grabbed her purse as she headed for the door. She stopped and turned around to say something more to Ethan, "You can keep that binder of invitations, there's some really pretty one's in there." she paused and then walked out of the door.  
  
Ethan sighed and sat down on his bed. He had never seen Theresa act like that before. He never thought that him getting married to Gwen would take such a toll on her. But he had to marry Gwen, she was having his baby. He walked over to the table and began flipping through invitations when Theresa re-entered his room with tears in her eyes.  
  
"What did Gwen do that I didn't?" she asked.  
  
"Nothing, Theresa." he said. "She's pregnant with my child."  
  
"Oh, so its an obligation thing?"  
  
"Theresa." Ethan pleaded.  
  
"What if I were pregnant too? What would you do then?" she insisted.  
  
"I-I don't know. But that couldn't happen because we've never..." he said looking down at the floor.  
  
"Mhmm." she said staring him down. She then sighed and turned to leave, "I guess I'll go home and mope around the house now."  
  
"Let me take you." he said jumping to his feet.  
  
"Why?" she asked turning around.  
  
"I don't think you're in a state to drive home by yourself."  
  
"Really, Dr. Ethan. First you're concerned about Gwen's health, so you marry her, and now you're concerned about my health. Don't let me keep you from your job Ethan, don't want to keep Gwen waiting since you're obligated to her. Don't worry about me getting home, worry about your fiancee giving birth to a healthy baby who you don't want to be a bastard. Why worry about me now anyway? You didn't seem to worry about me when you asked Gwen to marry you, I probably was in the back of your head."  
  
"No, Theresa, you weren't in the back of my head." he said sighing. "I gave everything a good train of thought including you."  
  
"Oh." she said clasping her hands together. "So I'm the dismissed and rejected one. Why don't I go home now, throw a pity party and get drunk!" she said waving her hands in the air.  
  
"Theresa I'm really concerned about you." Ethan said sincerely.  
  
"Well don't be!" she yelled. "I don't need you or ANY man. As long as I have myself and my family I'll be fine. Have a nice life Ethan." she said angrily and stormed out of the room.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________________  
  
"Oh my gosh. He's really marrying Gwen." Theresa said to Whitney as she sank into her bed.  
  
"I know honey, and I can see you're taking it a little hard." Whitney said comforting her.  
  
"But Ethan's my soulmate, and fate will bring us back together." Theresa said matter of factly.  
  
Whitney sighed, "Not this fate thing again."  
  
"But it's true, Ethan and I belong together." Theresa said wistfully.  
  
"Theresa, stop this ok? Ethan is marrying Gwen, he LOVES Gwen-"  
  
"Only because she's pregnant with his child!" she interjected.  
  
Whitney sighed again. "I give up."  
  
"No Whitney, never give up on your hopes and dreams...they'll happen someday..." she drifted off as a tear fell down her eye and she then began to cry. "I can't believe this is happening!" she sobbed. "E-Ethan, the man I love is marrying someone else. I had this all planned, he was supposed to marry ME, ME, ME!"  
  
Whitney walked over to her and pulled her into a hug. "Sh, it's going to be ok."  
  
"No, its never going to be ok. My worlds crumbling and I don't know what to do." Theresa felt like she was falling and she didn't no how she was going to get back up.  
  
______________________________________________________________________  
  
"I have a feeling that somethings going to happen which will bring me and Ethan back together!" Theresa whispered to Whitney an hour before the wedding was going to begin.  
  
"Which one is it, Theresa?" Whitney asked snapping. "Is it that you're scared to move on or you're scared to let go?" she then shook her head and walked off.  
  
Theresa sat down and began to think. "Whitney's right. I'm scared to let go." she got up and went off to find Whitney.  
  
_________________________________________________________________________  
  
"Oops, sorry." Fox said as he accidentally bumped into a woman.  
  
She looked up and smiled, "Thats ok."  
  
Fox's heart skipped a beat as he looked at her, she was absolutely gorgeous. "I'm guessing you're in the wedding." he said looking at her dress.  
  
"Yeah." she said softly.  
  
"I'm Fox Crane, and you are?" he asked sticking out his hand.  
  
"Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald." she said smiling and shaking his hand. "I have to go, talk to you later?"  
  
"I'd love to." he said smiling.  
  
"Ok, bye."  
  
"I don't think this move to Harmony is going to be bad after all."  
  
______________________________________________________________________  
  
Whitney sat down on the bench outside of the church and sighed. She wished Theresa would give up her whole fantasy thing with Ethan. She had heard it all of her life and she was so sick and tired of hearing that they were 'destined to be together'.  
  
"I think its that I'm afraid to let go." Theresa said quietly as she sat down next to Whitney. "All my life I've been thinking about one man...Ethan. He was like the center of my world and I did whatever I could to please him...but I'm just being disrespectful to myself by holding on..."  
  
"What do you mean?" Whitney asked intently.  
  
"If I hold on...If I hold on to this dream that Ethan and I will be together one day then I'm just going to hurt myself even more because its probably never ever going to happen.'' she said beginning to make sense. "I think its just that I find such a security in the thought that Ethan's mine, that...no matter how this is affecting me and hurting me I still hold on because of that one thought...that one hope...that one dream that I've had all my life...I'm scared because I've devoted my life to him and when I let go...I don't think I'll know what to do with myself."  
  
Whitney grabbed her hand, "Well I'm here for you, and so is your family. You don't ever have to worry."  
  
Theresa smiled. "Thats one thing I don't have to worry about. I know you guys will always be there for me." she paused and looked down. "Ethan's marrying Gwen. Ethan belongs to Gwen. Ethan and Gwen." she wiped her eye and looked at Whitney. "You know, Ethan and Gwen sounds better than Ethan and Theresa."  
  
Whitney laughed, "Remember the name game? Like I think my name would sound better next to a Raymond or something."  
  
Theresa giggled, "But your name sounds way better next to a Chad."  
  
"So you're ready to do this?" Whitney asked wiping the tears off of Theresa's face.  
  
"More ready then ever." she said as they both got up. "Goodbye Ethan." she whispered. She then followed Whitney to go to the wedding.  
  
_________________________________________________________________________  
  
"I'd like to make a toast!" Rebecca said tapping her spoon against her wine glass. "A toast to my Gwennie and her happiness to Ethan!"  
  
"Here here." Theresa said along with everyone as she sipped her champagne. She then stood up, "I'd like to make a toast too." Ethan threw her a weird glance but Theresa ignored it. Instead she looked at Whitney and smiled. "I want to say that Gwen has been such a great friend to me and whatever makes her happy makes me happy, even if it means marrying Ethan...I wish you two and your child tons of happiness!"  
  
"Here here." everyone said as Theresa sat down.  
  
Theresa sighed and took another sip of her champagne, she had confidence in herself that she could do this. She was going to do this, she didn't need Ethan anymore.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
"Theresa!" Ethan called after her as she walked out of the mansion.  
  
She stopped and turned around to face him, "Hi Ethan."  
  
"What you said in there...you weren't lying were you?" he asked.  
  
Theresa smiled and shook her head. "No, I meant every word of it. I love you Ethan and I want to see you happy so...if you find that happiness with Gwen...so be it."  
  
Ethan grabbed her hand and kissed it. "Thank you. You don't know how much it means to have your blessing on our marriage."  
  
Theresa just smiled. "Bye." she said as she walked off to find Whitney.  
  
"Bye!" he called after her.  
  
_________________________________________________________________________  
  
"So..." Whitney said as Theresa approached her. "What did Ethan want?"  
  
''He wanted to thank me." Theresa said still smiling.  
  
"You just can't stop smiling now, can you?" Whitney giggled.  
  
"Nope. I like this feeling, this independent feeling. I don't need any man to make me happy. I think I'm going to die an old maid." she said looking at Whitney.  
  
Whitney laughed, "YOU, independent? Nu-uh. I don't think that would last long."  
  
"You wanna bet?" Theresa said jokingly.  
  
"No bet, but I still don't think you can do it. I tried it but then I gave into Chad." Whitney smiled at the thought of Chad.  
  
"Do you think you could teach me?"   
  
"Teach you what? How to be independent?" she asked.  
  
"No, how to like you know...make guys think I don't need them." Theresa said innocently.  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Maybe?"  
  
"Yeah.....Ok!" Whitney said looking at the pity face Theresa was putting on. "I'll do it. Tomorrow at the Blue Note, ok?"  
  
Theresa just laughed.  
  
"What's so funny?" Whitney asked puzzled.  
  
"You're no longer looking at Miss Lopez-Fitzgerald, you're looking at Miss Independent!" she said striking a pose.  
  
"You're crazy girl, did I ever tell you that?" Whitney said smiling.  
  
"Along with some other things...Should I name them?" she joked.  
  
Whitney smiled and put her arm around Theresa, she finally had her best friend back. 


	2. Miss Independent

"I'm here!" Theresa said as she sat down next to Whitney at the bar in the Blue Note.  
  
"Wow, you look great girl!" Whitney said complementing Theresa's white dress with blue flowers that clung to her curves.  
  
"Oh, thanks!" Theresa said looking down at her dress.  
  
"How did you sleep last night?" Whitney asked.  
  
Theresa looked down at her hands and then back at Whitney. "I'm not going to lie to you Whit. I cried...but I'll be fine."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
Theresa nodded. "Yeah, It's a little weird though to picture Ethan saying the words he said to me to a different woman...let alone Gwen...and I was kind of wrong when I thought that my life would fall apart without him because I'm doing just fine."  
  
Whitney smiled as an akward silence came between them. "Well! Let's get started shall we?"  
  
Theresa's eyes lit up, "Ok."  
  
"Now, one thing you have to do is make the guys want you and lead them on to make them think that you want them too but then give them the cold shoulder." Whitney instructed.  
  
"Such as..."  
  
"You know, when they say a pick up line or something you have to know how to reject them." She looked up and nodded at a guy who was sitting alone at the bar. "Go give it a shot."  
  
Theresa turned around and looked at the guy. "I don't know, he's kind of cute!" she said turning around to smile at Whitney.  
  
Whitney gentley nudge her and Theresa straightened herself up and sat down next to the guy.  
  
"Can I get you anything?" the bartender asked.  
  
Theresa cleared her throat, "Yes, a gingerale would be good." she said smiling.  
  
The man next to her looked up and studied her for a while. "You're looking mighty nice today." he finally said.  
  
"Thanks. You don't look too bad yourself." she said smiling back at him. Before she could say anything else, Whitney came over and grabbed her by the arm.  
  
"Excuse us." Whitney said as she dragged Theresa toward the bathroom.  
  
"What?" Theresa asked.  
  
"When a guy compliments you what do you do?"   
  
"You thank them." Theresa answered.  
  
"Wrong." Whitney said putting her hand on her forehead. "You have to let them down."  
  
"How do I do that?" Theresa asked.  
  
"Ok, pretend I'm the guy and you're you ok?"  
  
Theresa nodded.  
  
Whitney cleared her throat and deepened her voice, "What's your name?"  
  
Theresa thought for a while then answered, "None of your business."  
  
Whitney rolled her eyes and cleared her throat again. "You have to be MEAN."  
  
"Oh. Mean." Theresa said thinking harder. "You'll find it somewhere in your fantasies. How was that?"  
  
"It...was...ok. But, you have to be meaner." Whitney replied.  
  
"Maybe if I was in front of a REAL guy I'd do better." Theresa hinted.  
  
"Yeah, why don't we go test it out."  
  
Whitney sat down at a table and watched Theresa as she sat at a bar until a man came and sat down beside her.  
  
"Do I know you from somewhere?" he asked.  
  
Theresa looked up and stared at the sexy stranger. "Yeah." she replied. "That's why I don't go there anymore."  
  
"Playing hard to get?" he asked as he put his money for his drink down on the table.  
  
"No, its called being too hot to handle." she said getting the hang of it.  
  
He just laughed and left the bar. Whitney immediately came running over and gave Theresa a high five.  
  
"That was so good!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah." she said smiling.  
  
"I think I'm getting the hang of this." Theresa said sipping her gingerale.  
  
"Here comes someone!" Whitney said flashing her a high five and then she disappeared.  
  
"Hey sweety, can I buy you a drink?" he asked as he checked her out.  
  
"No. But I'll tell you what you can do." she flirted.  
  
"What?" he flirted back.  
  
Theresa stuck out her hand, "You can give me the money."  
  
The man just stared at her and then walked off. Theresa waited until Whitney appeared and laughed.  
  
"Did you see the look on that guys face? I love this!"  
  
"I can tell, you look so happy." Whitney replied.  
  
"Here's to being miss independent." Theresa said raising her glass.  
  
"Miss Independent." 


	3. Checkmate

"I thought I told you to leave me alone." Theresa said angrily as a finger tapped her on the shoulder.  
  
"I don't remember you saying that to me." the person behind her said.  
  
Theresa slowly turned around, "Well let me say it to you again, I don't-" she stopped in mid sentence when she realized it was the man from Ethan and Gwen's wedding. "Oh, hi! I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else."  
  
"Thats ok." he said as he sat down.  
  
Theresa studied the man. He had a nice tan with a broad jawline and eyes that left you wondering what was going on inside his head. Theresa shook herself and broke the silence "So what was your name again?" she asked.  
  
"Fox." he said smiling. "And you're Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald."  
  
"Wow, you have a great memory which I obviously don't."  
  
"Actually you do have a great memory because you remembered whoever was bothering you before when I tapped you on the shoulder." he flirted.  
  
"You have a point." she said as she stirred the cream in her coffee.  
  
"Your face must turn a lot of heads." he said as he admire the soft dark silk that adorned her shoulders.  
  
"And your face must turn a lot of stomachs." she said automatically. She put her hand up and smiled, "I'm sorry...that just came out."   
  
"So I guess you give the men a hard time." he said laughing.  
  
"You have to, you know, lead them on. I find it rather amusing the way they look when I turn them down." she said as her eyes sparkled.  
  
"You remind me of someone." he said biting the side of his lip.  
  
"Who?" Theresa asked.  
  
"Me." he said after a long pause.  
  
"You?" she repeated.  
  
"Yeah. We both are independent and we know what we want and we make sure that we always get what we want."  
  
Theresa smiled and looked into his eyes and read him, "We both don't want to tie ourselves down to one person or one thing or one place..."  
  
"And we don't want anyone to control us..."  
  
"We need all the attention we can get because we are number one priorities..."  
  
"When anyone offers to help us with anything we refuse because we want to do it ourselves and do it our way."  
  
Theresa licked her lips and smiled. "Exactly."  
  
Fox leaned back in his chair and stared at her. "You want me."  
  
"Excuse me?" Theresa said a little scared that he knew what she was thinking.  
  
"I said you want me." he repeated.  
  
"And what makes you think that?" she said looking away.  
  
"I know how a woman looks at me when she wants me, and you want me." he said leaning in.  
  
Theresa cocked her head and moved her head a little closer to Fox's. "An independent person is like fire and when fire is combined with another fire, somebody's bound to get burned or smothered in the smoke."  
  
"But there's always water nearby." Fox said moving in a little closer.  
  
"You need a lot of water and an entire squad to put the flame out though."  
  
Fox moved so that there was only a few inches between his and Theresa's face. "Only as much effort as it took to ignite the flame."  
  
The body heat between the two of them rose as they stared into each others eyes. There hearts pounded as they planned there next move.   
  
Theresa finally took the first move and almost brushed her lips against Fox's and pulled back. "Checkmate." she said and she grabbed her purse and walked out of the shop. 


	4. Borrowed

"Theresa, is everything ok? You look really flushed." Whitney said as Theresa walked into her room.  
  
"No, no I'm fine." she said sitting down.  
  
Whitney looked at her for a while. Theresa's eyes were sparkling and she had a huge grin plastered on her face.   
  
"Why are you smiling?" she asked.  
  
"I just ran into someone..." Theresa replied.  
  
"And who is this someone?" Whitney asked.  
  
"You remember Ethan's half-brother Fox from the wedding?"  
  
Whitney nodded. "So I'm guessing he's someone you want so you're going to ditch the whole independent thing."  
  
"That, is where you're wrong!" Theresa said as she began to pace the room.  
  
"Uh oh, you're starting to pace the room." Whitney said.  
  
"Fox is just like me. He's independent except he has a different woman in his bed every night which is what separates us." she said.  
  
"This has something to do with you because?" Whitney said not getting the picture.  
  
Theresa stopped pacing the room and looked at Whitney. "Oh, no, its not what you're thinking. I just think that it would be fun to hang around him for awhile until I'm bored, and then move on. Nothing official, just a little fun."  
  
"So now you're trying to be a player?" Whitney said laughing.  
  
"No, just a girl who wants to have some fun!" Theresa replied grinning.  
  
"Theresa, don't get yourself into something-"   
  
Theresa put her hand up cutting Whitney off. "I'll be fine, just going to have some fun." She then turned and walked to Whitney's closet. "Can I borrow this shirt? Please?"  
  
"Sure. Just make sure you're careful." Whitney agreed.  
  
"Now have I ever returned something I've borrowed from you damaged?" Theresa said putting her hands on her hips.  
  
"I wasn't talking about the shirt, I was talking about Fox but thats a good point you made. Whatever you do don't get damaged by him in the process, ok?" Whitney asked concerned for her friend.  
  
"I'll be careful, I promise." Theresa said smiling at the thought that Whitney was concerned about her.  
  
"Good." she said smiling. "But if you damage that shirt..."  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
Theresa fixed Whitney's shirt on her as she walked out of her house. She was bored and had nothing to do so she was thinking about driving around. Just as she reached in her purse for her keys she heard a loud pop. She looked up to see Fox sitting on a motorcycle in front of her. Her heart immediately began to race but she calmed herself down.   
  
"Hi." she said, making herself sound as if it was no big deal that he was there.  
  
"Hey." he said smiling. "You look...nice." he added.  
  
"Thanks." Theresa replied.  
  
"Oh, I'm surprised you didn't say something about how my leather turns stomachs or something!" he joked.  
  
"Yeah, well you're different.'' she said without knowing it came out of her mouth.  
  
"What do you mean I'm different?" he asked interested.  
  
"I...did I just say that?" she asked as she pointed at herself.  
  
"Yeah, you did." he said flashing his gorgeous smile.  
  
'Gosh he is so hott! I wonder what its like to be one of the women in his bed every night. I wonder what his boxers look like or how he looks in just boxers!' Theresa thought as she smiled forgetting that she was supposed to answer him.  
  
"Hello? Anyone home?" he said snapping Theresa out of her fantasy.  
  
"Oh, oh! Yeah, sorry about that." she said blushing.  
  
"Its ok. You want to go for a spin?" he asked gesturing at the empty space on the motorcycle.  
  
"Oh, no." Theresa said as fear overcame her. "No.'' she repeated.  
  
"Why not? Scared?" he said teasing her.  
  
''I'll admit that I'm a little scared..." she admitted. "I know my limits and thats just too crazy...no. Sorry." she said stepping away.  
  
"I'm hurt." Fox said putting his hand over his heart.  
  
Theresa smiled, "Its nothing against you its just I don't want to...I can't."  
  
"I guess I was wrong about you." he said.  
  
"What do you mean?" she asked.  
  
"I thought you were truely independent, doing whatever life throws your way...but I was wrong." he said knowing he was causing her to change her mind.  
  
"I am independent." she said crossing her arms.  
  
"Prove it."  
  
Theresa rolled her tongue around in her mouth as she thought.  
  
"Well?" Fox asked after a few moments of silence.  
  
"I'm thinking, shh!" she teased.  
  
Fox rolled his eyes and sighed as he looked at his watch. "I could be having dinner with this girl I met last night-"  
  
"Ok! I'll do it!" Theresa said suddenly as she jumped on the back of the motorcycle.  
  
Fox grinned and handed her a helmet. "You'll need this and you better hold on tight." he advised.  
  
"I'll hold on as tight as you want me to." she said under her breath as she put her helmet on. A tingle went through her body as she wrapped her arms around his waist and then they were off. 


	5. The Bet

"Wow." Theresa said as she stepped off of Fox's motorcycle. She took off her helmet and gazed around. "Where are we?"  
  
"I call it Paradise View." Fox said referring to the beautiful view of the whole town of Harmony.  
  
"Its so pretty." Theresa whispered in awe.  
  
"Yeah, so anyway." Fox said after a few moments of taking everything in. "What do you want to talk about?" he asked as he sat down against the wall.  
  
"Hmm, I don't know." Theresa said following him to his position against the wall.  
  
"Tell me about you." he said pausing to look at her.  
  
"What about me?" she asked as she looked away.  
  
"What makes you the way you are now?" he asked.  
  
"Nothing." she said looking down at her hands. "I've never really taken an interest in men."  
  
Fox laughed. ''Mhmm, sure. I've heard all about you and Ethan."  
  
"You don't know anything about me and Ethan." she responded coldly.  
  
"Whoa, I'm sorry, did I touch a nerve there?" he joked.  
  
"No, its ok." she answered. "But its just annoying how people automatically assume what happened between me and Ethan when they know nothing at all."  
  
"Want to tell me about it?" Fox asked gently.  
  
Theresa sighed. "Well..." she hesitated and the began to tell him. "This is kind of embarassing, but I liked Ethan most of my life and I was always dreaming about marrying him and the whole nine yards until he actually did fall in love with me. I felt like I was on top of the world, like I had everything in my grasp...but he was engaged to Gwen."  
  
"So what happened?"  
  
"He told me I'd have to be quiet about it and he broke off the engagement with Gwen and just told her he wasn't ready yet."   
  
"And she believed him?" Fox said raising his eyebrow.  
  
Theresa nodded. "So we dated for about a couple of months and I kept it quiet. I only told Whitney. Gwen and I became friends and she used to confide in me about Ethan and it was so hard to hear her talk about the wedding they were going to have when he was ready to marry her...but I didn't say anything, I just smiled in her face like a true friend, and believe me I felt so horrible."  
  
"When did you find out that Ethan told Gwen he was ready?"  
  
"She walked into my room one day and was said she was pregnant with Ethan's baby and that they were getting engaged. You know, he didn't even say anything to me about it...but I hugged and congratulated her like a friend should. I guess it was about time for me to realize that being with Ethan was only a dream and not reality." she snapped out of her daze and looked at Fox. ''Enough about me, what about you big guy?" she said grinning.  
  
"There's nothing about me to know." he said.  
  
"You're so mysterious." she said staring into his eyes.  
  
"The ladies often find it sexy but you find it fascinating." Fox said smiling.  
  
"Because I've never been around anyone like you." she replied. "I could read Ethan like the back of my hand."   
  
"Ethan and I are like night and day."  
  
"That's what I'm starting to learn." she laughed. "So who is this girl that you were talking about earlier?" she asked.  
  
"No one. Just a girl." he replied.  
  
"JUST a girl?" she repeated.  
  
"I didn't stutter did I?" he joked.  
  
"No. You didn't." Theresa said quietly.  
  
Fox looked at her and the smile faded off of his face. "You know I was joking, right?" he asked but Theresa didn't answer, she just whimpered. "Theresa? Are you ok?" he said putting his arm around her.  
  
She still didn't answer.  
  
He gently reached over and put Theresa's head against his chest. "I was just joking. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." he whispered in her hair.   
  
Suddenly a laughed escaped from Theresa and she sat up. She cleared her throat and looked at him and began to laugh again.  
  
"What's so funny?" he asked quizzically.  
  
"You..." she began but she couldn't finish because she began to laugh.  
  
Fox just looked at her curiously until finally she stopped laughing.  
  
"Haha! Ok...ok." she said in between breaths. "I'm ok." she said smiling as her breathing returned to normal.  
  
"What just happened?" he asked.  
  
Theresa reached out and patted his chest. "Its almost as comfortable as I thought."  
  
Fox looked down at where she had touched him. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I was just testing your women skills and I have to give it to you...you're really good." she grinned.  
  
"Women skills? Explain." he said staring at her.  
  
"You said you're independent and I can already tell you're a ladies man, so I was seeing how big of one you really are." she explained.  
  
"Mhmm." he said still not understanding.  
  
"So is that one of your main tricks to get a woman into bed?" she asked. "You know, they cry over an ex and you 'comfort' them?"  
  
Fox smiled. "Man, you're onto my game."  
  
"Like a dog following a trail of bacon." she said rubbing her hands together.  
  
"What's the secret to YOUR game?" Fox asked.  
  
"There is no secret." she said smiling.  
  
"Yeah there is."   
  
"I just take whatever stupid line men throw my way, reverse it, and throw it back in there face." she replied.  
  
"Ah. I see." he said nodding his head. "I bet you couldn't go a week or even a day without saying a comeback to a man who says a pick up line to you."   
  
"And I bet you can't go a week without having a woman in your bed." Theresa dared.  
  
"I bet I could. But I bet you can't." Fox said crossing his arms.  
  
"I can too!" Theresa said jumping up and putting her hands on her hips.  
  
Fox stood up and stuck out his hand. "So do we have a bet?"  
  
"Depends on what the loser has to do." she replied.  
  
"Wash the others car." he suggested.  
  
"Thats no bet!" she said laughing. "What about wash the car, clean it out, AND vaccuum the inside."  
  
Fox sighed. "Ok I guess. I shouldn't be worried anyway because you're going to be the one washing my car this time next week." he said as he stuck out his hand.  
  
Theresa shook it and laughed. "Whatever."  
  
"Yeah, just wait and see. I'm going to kick your butt." he smiled.  
  
"Hey," she said taking a few steps back. "take a good look at my butt." she said turning around.  
  
'Not a bad view' Fox thought to himself as he looked at her butt. "What's the meaning of this?" he flirted. "Trying to get in my bed?"  
  
"No." she said turning around and walking up to him. "I'm just making sure that you get a good look at it now, because my butt's going to be so far ahead of yours that you won't know what hit you."  
  
"Oh really?" he said grinning.  
  
"Mhmm. Just call me El-Theresa." she said leaning in. After a few moments she turned and walked to his motorcycle. "Are you coming? Its starting to get dark!"  
  
Fox laughed and walked towards the bike. "Yeah."  
  
"You need to get home and get a good rest for the rest of the week to numb those hormones. Drink plenty of milk." she joked.  
  
Fox turned around. "And you where a muzzle." 


	6. The Truth Comes Out

"Gwen? What's wrong?" Theresa asked as she approached a sobbing Gwen.  
  
Gwen looked up at Theresa and wiped her eyes. "I told Ethan I want a divorce."  
  
"What? Why?" Theresa asked handing her a tissue.  
  
"I just can't take it anymore! He ignores me as if I'm not there...he says that he loves me but he doesn't show it well enough to me." she cried.  
  
"Maybe if you wait awhile he'll come around." Theresa whispered softly to Gwen.  
  
"I told myself that too and I've told him the problem a lot of times but nothing works, Theresa! Ethan and I don't belong together whether I'm having his child or not!"  
  
"So I'm guessing this is the part in the movies where I'm supposed to give you a pep talk about how you don't need Ethan, and take you to the mall and you get you happy and meet a cute guy...but thats obviously not going to happen because I'm broke!" Theresa said trying to get a smile out of Gwen.  
  
Gwen smiled.  
  
"But I know what I CAN do!"  
  
"And whats that?" Gwen asked as she wiped her face.  
  
"Sing!" Theresa said jumping to her feet.  
  
"Oh no!" Gwen said laughing.  
  
"I can't believe I'm about to do this but here goes." Theresa cleared her throat and began to sing. "I love you, you love me, we're a happy family with a great big hug and a kiss from me too you, won't you say you love me too."  
  
Gwen looked at Theresa and cracked up as she fell to the floor laughing.  
  
"What's so funny?" Theresa asked innoncently.  
  
"Singing Barney songs are we Theresa?" she said gasping for air.  
  
"I don't care what you think Gwen, just as long as I got you to laugh." she said as she collasped next to Gwen. She looked at Gwen and they both cracked up.  
  
"But seriously, you should think about this a little more before you finally decide that you want a divorce." Theresa advised.  
  
"I want a divorce." Gwen said.  
  
"Then get a divorce." Theresa replied.  
  
Gwen smiled at Theresa and got up. "Well I have to go for my checkup with Dr. Russell. See you later!"   
  
Theresa felt a little happy as she watched Gwen walked away. She wasn't happy because she could Ethan back was she? No she couldn't be. She hated Ethan and all men. She would never go back to Ethan...ever.  
  
_________________________________________________________________  
  
"So hows that muzzle working?" Fox asked as he snuck up behind Theresa.  
  
"Oh my god! You scared me!" she said hitting Fox and covering her heart. "Don't do that again."  
  
"I'm sorry." he said smiling. "I was just about to head over to the hospital and I thought you wanted to come since someone you're close to is in the hospital."   
  
"What? Who? Is it Whitney?" Theresa asked.  
  
"Its Gwen." Fox replied.  
  
"I'm coming with you." Theresa said, and when that she and Fox headed for the hospital.  
  
__________________________________________________________________  
  
"If you loose this baby you will loose Ethan!" Rebecca taunted Gwen for the millionth time.  
  
"Mother there is no one to loose Ethan to and he loves me." Gwen affirmed.  
  
Rebecca opened the curtain, "What about Theresa?" she said guestering to Theresa giving Ethan a hug.  
  
"Theresa is Ethan's friend and my friend, she doesn't want Ethan." Gwen said rolling her eyes.  
  
"News flash, Gwennie dear. The reason why Ethan told you in the first place that he couldn't marry you was because he was dating Theresa." Rebecca informed her.  
  
Gwen laughed. "Oh come on Mother! Theresa and Ethan never dated, I would have known if they had."  
  
"Nobody knew." Rebecca said pursing her lips.  
  
"You aren't serious are you?" Gwen said as the smile left her face.  
  
"I've never been this serious before." Rebecca said giving Gwen a stern look.  
  
"Oh my gosh." Gwen said thinking. "That's why Theresa looked pale when I told her Ethan and I were getting married..."  
  
"And why Ethan ran after her when she left the wedding." Rebecca added.  
  
"That bitch! I thought she was my friend! I'll never let her have him, NEVER!" Gwen yelled angrily.  
  
__________________________________________________________________  
  
"You coniving whore." a icy voice said behind Theresa.  
  
Theresa slowly turned around to come face to face with an angry Gwen. "Gwen? Are you ok?" she asked.  
  
"Like you care, you were just scheming to get Ethan rid of me all along!" she hissed.  
  
"Excuse me?" Theresa asked.  
  
"You heard me, Theresa. Stay away from Ethan!" Gwen yelled.  
  
"Ethan is my friend." Theresa defended.  
  
"You smiled in my face this whole time while I talked to you about Ethan when you were dating him behind my back." Gwen said angrily.  
  
"Oh, so what? Am I supposed to report everything to you now Gwen?" Theresa snapped.  
  
"If I wasn't pregnant I would-" Gwen began.  
  
"You would WHAT Gwen? Huh? Grab me by the hair and maybe scratch me? If you weren't pregnant and you tried to hit me, then the floor would become your best friend." Theresa yelled back.  
  
"I really thought you were sweet Theresa, and now look at you. You're like Dr. Jekyll and Hyde." Gwen insulted.  
  
"I wouldn't be talking." Theresa said rolling her eyes. "Why don't you just go lay your pregnant ass on the hospital bed while I walk away." Theresa said begininng to walk away but Gwen grabbed her arm and whirled her around.  
  
"You will NEVER have Ethan!" Gwen screeched.  
  
"I don't want Ethan, Gwen." Theresa repeated truthfully. "Now get your claws out of my wrist."  
  
"What is going on here?" Ethan said as he, Rebecca, and Fox entered.  
  
"Theresa is telling me she's going to steal you away from me." Gwen lied.  
  
"You-" Theresa began.  
  
"Is this true Theresa?" Rebecca asked.  
  
"No its not true!" Theresa yelled.  
  
"Don't lie! You just said that to me!" Gwen said trying to look innocent.  
  
Ethan flashed Theresa an angry look, "Theresa?"  
  
"Oh, you want to know the truth?" Theresa said looking at their faces. "Well I'll tell you the truth. Little Miss Innocent over here walked up to me and called me a whore and started going on and on about how I couldn't have you when I don't even WANT you."  
  
"You don't?" Ethan said hurt.  
  
"No." Theresa said.  
  
"That's not what I heard." Gwen said crossing her arms.  
  
"Give it up Gwen! You lost, I won! I do not want Ethan! Do you want me to say that again? I don't want Ethan! Now get out of my face and the hell out of my life!" Theresa yelled. "I'm ready to leave now Fox." she said turning to Fox.  
  
Fox nodded and they both left the hospital. 


	7. Wanting You

"Are you ok?" Fox asked as he and Theresa got into his car.  
  
"Yeah. I don't really want to talk about it right now." she said tensely.  
  
"Fine with me.'' he said quietly.  
  
"I would have slapped Gwen if it wasn't for the condition she's in." Theresa finally said.  
  
"Oh." Fox said quietly.  
  
"I mean, who does she think she is to tell me who is on and off limits to me? The only reason why Ethan married her in the first place was because she's pregnant, she's so dumb to not be able to see that! He wanted nothing to do with her until NOW." she said waving her hands in the air. "And Ethan. Ethan tried to put on this Mr. I'm-not-going-to-let-you-talk-to-my-wife-like-that act. I'm suprised she didn't rag him down because he didn't tell her about us. They act as if I'm the tin man from the Wizard of Oz. Like they can say anything and treat me any kind of way, but I have feelings! And it just...it just hurts so much." she said beginning to cry.  
  
"Woah there." Fox said pulling into a parking lot. When he parked the car he took off his seat belt and put his arms around Theresa.  
  
"Ethan looked so hurt when I told him I didn't want him anymore." she whispered.  
  
"You shouldn't let that get to you, remember? You're Miss Independent here." he said.  
  
"I know but its just so hard sometimes. I meet these really great guys but I'm too scared to start a relationship because I'm afraid I'm going to get hurt again. Ethan hurt me so much that I just can't help but hate men when I see them because they remind me of him."  
  
"So you hate me?" Fox joked.  
  
"No, you're different." Theresa laughed.  
  
"I know something that can cheer you up." Fox said.  
  
"What?" Theresa asked sitting up.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________  
  
"Drink up." Fox said slamming down a mug of beer in front of Theresa.  
  
"You...you aren't serious are you?" Theresa said staring at it.  
  
"Yeah...whats wrong with a drink?" Fox asked grinning.  
  
"I've never drunk before." she replied.  
  
"Well, nows a good time to. It'll get your mind off of everything." Fox said pushing it closer to her.  
  
"I don't think I can." she said as a wash of fear, nervousness, and excitement overtook her. "I mean, I want to, but I just can't."  
  
"You said that about the motorcycle but you had fun." Fox said tempting her.  
  
"This is different." she said biting the side of her lip.  
  
"Yeah, its less dangerous."  
  
"Ok, I'll try it." she finally said. "Here goes." she slowly lifted the mug to her lips and sipped it. "It has a weird taste." she said after a while.  
  
"Oh come on! You sipped it, you have to take big gulps like this." Fox took his mug and took a huge gulp of the beer.  
  
"Right." Theresa said as her eyes widened. She looked at the mug, "Big gulps." She took a deep breath and gulped down some of the beer.  
  
"There you go!" Fox said hitting her on the back.  
  
Theresa covered her mouth and finally swallowed it. "Fox! Why did you do that? I almost spit it back up!" she said hitting him.  
  
"I do that to all my friends." he replied. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"I don't feel anything yet." she answered.  
  
"You will soon." he said handing her a mug.  
  
Theresa sighed and took another gulp of the mug.  
  
_________________________________________________________________________  
  
"Ooooh, you are one sexy SEXY man!" Theresa slurred to a man that sat down next to her.  
  
"You're not too bad yourself." he said looking at her.  
  
"Too bad that I hate men!" she said laughing. "I'm Miss Independent...ain't that right Fox?" she asked hitting Fox on the back.  
  
"Yeah." Fox said amused at how Theresa acted when she was drunk. He then remembered the bet and said, "Tell him one of your insults."  
  
"One of my insults..." she said thinking. "Oh! How about this one! You can want but you can't have!"  
  
"That was so lame." Fox said covering his face.  
  
"Do you want to know my secret?" she asked the man.  
  
"Sure." he replied.  
  
"Well," she said leaning in. "First you have to give the man eye contact. Then inside your mind you have to think 'Baby, I want you and you want me!' and it works! Men usually jump out of there seats!" she giggled.  
  
"I should be going now." the man said quickly getting out of his seat.  
  
"Wait!" Theresa yelled behind him. "I wasn't finished!"  
  
"But you're finished now." Fox said getting up and putting his arm around her. "Let's get you home."  
  
"But I don't wanna go hoooooome." she whined.  
  
"Its not about what you want to do or not, now come on." he said dragging her out of the bar.  
  
"Fox, can I spend the night with you?" she asked as she wobbled her way to the car.  
  
"Why do you want to do that?" he asked.  
  
"Because I'm feeling sexy tonight and I want to be with you!" she slurred.  
  
"Nope. You're drunk." he said lowering her into the car.  
  
"Please!" she begged as he got in the car. "Its just between me and you!" she giggled and reached across and gave Fox a giant kiss on the cheek. "Mwuah!"  
  
"I always tell people I hate juicy kisses!" Fox said in disgust as he wiped the beer off of his cheek.  
  
Theresa just laughed giddily and wiped her mouth. "What about this?" She suddenly grabbed Fox and kissed him passionately on the lips.  
  
"Wow." Fox said after she pulled away.  
  
"I knew you would like it." she laughed. "I'm a good kisser! Kiss kiss!"  
  
"Ok, you can spend the night with me ONLY because I don't want your family finding out that you're drunk because of me. Nothing happens, got that?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah. Thank you Fox." she said grinning.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
"Are you sleep-" Fox stopped in midsentence when he saw that Theresa wasn't in the guest room. "Oh man, where did she go?" he said to himself as he ran around looking for her like a lost puppy. "Theresa?" There was no answer so he went into his room. Theresa suddenly jumped out of the corner of his door onto him and kissed him. "There you are." he said pushing her away.  
  
"Were you looking for me?" she asked pouting.  
  
"Yeah, I thought I told you to go to bed." he said as if he were talking to a 5 year old.  
  
"But I wanna sleep with YOU!" she whined.  
  
"You can't, you're drunk." he answered as he tried to pull her out of the room but she pushed him and walked back into the room. Fox sighed and walked back into his room.  
  
"Fox." Theresa said calling him.  
  
"What?" he said looking at her.  
  
When she realized that she had his attention she slowly unzipped her dress and slipped it off and stood in front of Fox with nothing but her underwear.  
  
Fox eyes immediately popped open as he stared at her beautiful body. "Wow." he said after a few seconds.  
  
Theresa slowly walked up to him and kissed him on the neck. "I don't want to sleep in an empty room by myself." she whispered.  
  
Fox stood stiffly so that he wouldn't give into Theresa but he found it too hard so he finally gave in. 


	8. The Winner

Theresa moaned as she woke up. She had an unbearable headache and a bad stomach ache. She then turned to see Fox in the bed staring at her. "Oh my gosh!" she said jumping out of the bed.  
  
Fox grinned, "Whats wrong? Don't you remember anything?"  
  
"We didn't.....did we?" she asked. She couldn't remember anything, the night before seemed like a blur.  
  
Fox didn't answer, he just smiled.  
  
"Fox! Did we sleep together or not?!" she demanded.  
  
"It was sooooo great." he said laughing.  
  
Theresa put her hand on her forehead in shock. "I can't believe this is happening." she said over and over again.  
  
Fox just laughed.   
  
"It's not funny Fox!" she said scolding him.  
  
"Yeah it is. We didn't sleep together. I was just kidding." he said putting his hands up in surrender.  
  
Theresa let out a sigh of relief and sat down on the bed.   
  
"You wanted to but you passed out before anything happened." he said.  
  
Theresa laughed. "Are you serious? What happened? I can't remember anything and I feel so sick!" she said rubbing her stomach.  
  
"You got drunk." he said filling her in.  
  
"Oh, now I remember...going to the hospital, Gwen and Ethan..." she said running her hands through her hair.  
  
"You talk in your sleep." Fox said smiling.  
  
"I know." Theresa said embarassed.  
  
"You were talking about a blueberry muffin. It sounded pretty serious."   
  
They both laughed and Theresa threw a pillow at him.   
  
"You should go home because you have to wash my car." Fox said happily.  
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
"You lost the bet." he replied.  
  
"No I didn't!" she protested.  
  
"Yeah you did, you insulted a man at the bar last night." he said fishing for his keys.  
  
"Oh." she said laughing and thinking. "Wait. You lost the bet too." she said looking at him slyly.  
  
"No..." he said looking at her confused.  
  
"Uh huh." she stood up and began to pace the room. "You see, the original bet was that you couldn't keep a woman out of your bed. But I'm a woman, and I was in your bed so you lost too."  
  
"But you meant as in if I slept with the woman." he argued.  
  
"No, I just said to keep a woman out of your bed so technically I win." she said clapping her hands together in glee.  
  
"No, I win because you lost the bet before I did." he said standing in front of her and crossing his arms.  
  
"Nope, thats where you're wrong again. I was drunk and I think I remember you telling me to tell the guy an insult so once again, I win!" she said laughing.  
  
"Oh man." Fox said covering his face.  
  
"There's this stain on the carpet on the drivers side of my car that I would like to be gone." she ordered. "And make sure you take out all of the papers and junk in the seat before you vacuum it, and then do you think you could organize it for me?"  
  
Fox sighed. "I have a feeling you're never going to let this one go."  
  
Theresa smiled, "You got that right."  
  
"I can't believe I let you trick me." Fox said rolling his eyes and waiting for Theresa's response but instead of answering Theresa held up her hand and made a bee line for the toilet.  
  
________________________________________________________________  
  
"Theresa? What are you doing here?" Ethan asked as he bumped into Theresa outside of the mansion.  
  
"Just visiting Fox...or should I have notified you earlier?" she said sarcastically.  
  
"Fox is bad news Theresa." he replied ignoring her sarcasim.  
  
"Would you shutup with the whole bad news thing Ethan? If you even gave a damn about me you wouldn't have married Gwen in the first place." she said angrily.  
  
"Look, I know that I've hurt you Theresa but I-"  
  
"But what?" she said cutting him off. "You don't want me to move on expecially with your half brother?"  
  
"That's not what I said." he said shaking his head.  
  
"You know what Ethan..." she said pausing to gather her words but she couldn't come up with words to say what she had to say. "Just go to hell."  
  
"Well if it isn't the lying and scheming Theresa." Gwen's icy voice said cutting in.  
  
Theresa turned and looked Gwen in the face. "You can go to hell too." She turned on her heel and began to walk away when Gwen called behind her.  
  
"I guess I'll see you there!"  
  
Theresa stopped and walked back over to Gwen. "No, Gwen. I wouldn't dare be caught in the same place as you. I think there hands would already be full enough with you there." Theresa stared at a speechless Gwen and walked away. 


	9. Caught in the Act

"Finished." Fox said as he layed down on Theresa's bed.  
  
Theresa peeked over from her desk, "You finished washing the outside AND inside of my car THAT fast?" she asked not believing it.  
  
"Yeah, I'm gonna go use the bathroom." he said getting up and walking to the bathroom.  
  
Theresa just stared after Fox not believing that he cleaned her car as quickly as he did. Her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone. At first she wasn't going to answer it but then she decided to since he was in the bathroom.   
  
"Hello?" she said.  
  
"Hi, is Mr. Crane available?" a voice asked.  
  
"He's in the bathroom, can I take a mesage?" Theresa asked.  
  
"Yes, tell him Rheem Car Cleaning Services called." they answered.  
  
Theresa smiled at the thought that she had caught Fox in his act. "I will. Um, did you just by any chance clean a car for Mr. Crane?"   
  
"Yes. Inside and out and he asked us also to organize a few things in the car." the woman said reading the reciept.  
  
"Ok! I'll tell him that you called." Theresa said hanging up as she heard Fox flush the toilet. She quickly ran back over to her position and picked up her magazine.  
  
"Was my phone ringing?" Fox asked as he stepped out of the bathroom.  
  
"Nope." Theresa said not looking up from the magazine.  
  
"Oh, I thought I heard it." Fox said with a funny look on his face.  
  
"Hey!" Theresa said slamming her magazine shut.  
  
"Hey, how ya doing?" he joked.  
  
Theresa rolled her eyes and continued to speak. "Why don't I take you for a ride in my newly cleaned car?" she said scheming.  
  
"Ok..." he said looking at her curiously.  
  
"Lunch is on me!" she said picking up her purse and walking out the door.  
  
Fox just smiled and followed her.  
  
__________________________________________________________________  
  
"You did such a wonderful job!" Theresa said peering out the window at her car from inside the restaraunt.  
  
"Thanks." Fox said looking at his menu.  
  
"No, really!" Theresa said staring at him. "Its squeaky clean, vaccumed nicely...my papers are even alphabetized!" she smiled.  
  
"Mhmm." he murmured.  
  
"What brand of carpet cleaner did you use on the carpet?" she asked knowing that he had no clue. "Cause I'd like to know for later when I have to wash it myself."  
  
Fox looked up from the menu and stared at her trying to think of an answer. "Uh, it was uh, Dawn." he answered.  
  
"Dawn huh?" she said raising her eyebrows.  
  
"Yeah." he said looking down.  
  
"Dawn is a dishwashing liquid not a carpet cleaner!" she said laughing.   
  
"Well, I don't know the difference but it worked when I used it." he said turning red.  
  
"No, you don't know the difference because you DIDN'T use it." she said leaning back and folding her arms.  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked knowing she had caught him.  
  
"Your phone did ring while you were in the bathroom and it was Rheem Car Cleaning Services." she said laughing. "Nice shot."  
  
"At least its clean, besides I payed big bucks for that." he said defending himself.  
  
"Aww, how sweet!" Theresa exclaimed. "Mr. Money spent 20 bucks out of his millions of dollars to clean my car! I'm touched." she said putting her hand over her heart.  
  
"I'm never going to hear the end of this one either, am I?" he sighed.  
  
"Nope." she said smiling.  
  
"Muzzle mouth." he said crossing his arms like a child.  
  
"Brat." she retorted.  
  
"At least I have a little pleasure in my life." he said leaning foward.  
  
"At least I know what its like to have been in love." she said putting her face directly in front of his.  
  
"Exactly how do you know that I haven't been in love before?"   
  
"Because you've never said anything to me about being in love."  
  
"Right. I guess that will have to wait until later." he said softly.  
  
"Why?" Theresa whined.  
  
"Because I want to do this." Fox suddenly grabbed Theresa closer to him, kissed her, and let go. "Sorry, I just was curious what it was like to kiss you when you aren't drunk." he said laughing.  
  
Theresa just stared at him not knowing what to say. "Right." she replied. She took a sip of her drink and tried to get her new found feelings out of her head. 


	10. Fireworks

"Ahem." Fox said clearing his throat as he entered Theresa's room.  
  
"Oh, hi." she said turning around from her position outside of the closet.  
  
"Whats up?" he asked.  
  
"Nothing, just re-organizing my closet." she said biting her lip as she looked at her closet.  
  
"It looks organized enough to me." he said smiling.  
  
"Yeah but I don't have anything better to do." she sighed as she moved a few clothes around.  
  
"Today's July 4th! You're supposed to be celebrating our independence." he reminded her.  
  
"I am celebrating." she replied. She looked at Fox's expression and then added, "In my own way."  
  
"You're so unpatriotic." he joked.  
  
"Don't get me started." she said narrowing her eyes at him.  
  
"Ah! That reminds me!" he exclaimed happily. "The fireworks are going to start soon."  
  
"And you're telling me this because?"  
  
"Because I made a picnic and we're going to go watch the fireworks...just call it patriotic." he said, then he grabbed a shocked Theresa by the arm and dragged her out the door.  
  
______________________________________________________________________  
  
"So, what do you think?" Fox asked as he plopped down onto the blanket.  
  
Theresa looked at Fox's poor attempt at a picnic and laughed.  
  
"What?" he asked clueless.  
  
"Nothing." she said suppressing her giggles. "Its great!" she said forcing a smile.  
  
Fox looked at her for a while and then read her mind. "Oh, I know. You're laughing at the fact that our drink is Juicy Juice and that our main course is Chef Boyardee." he said looking at the food he had prepared.  
  
Theresa nodded her head and laughed. "Mhmm. It's quiet...cute!"  
  
"Cute huh?" Fox said scratching his head. "I guess I can deal with that."  
  
Theresa pulled out a Juicy Juice and placed the straw in the hole. "Ok, now you have to tell me about you cause we never talk about you. We're always talking about something else like me, and I can be a pretty boring subject."  
  
"Not really." he said grinning. "What do you want to know?"  
  
"I don't know...the nitty gritty details like for starters how about girlfriends...er, you have had a girlfriend right? Or are they all just one night flings?" she asked wanting to know.  
  
Fox laughed. "There not all one night flings, I just have a lot of them at one time."  
  
"All at one time huh?" she asked raising her eyebrows. "How many?"  
  
"I'd say about 9 or 10 girlfriends." he bragged.  
  
"9 or 10?!" Theresa screeched. She sat her drink down and gave him a serious look. "Did you sleep with all of them?"  
  
"Only 6." he replied.  
  
"ONLY 6!!" she repeated.  
  
"Now you see why I don't talk about it much to you cause I knew you'd go wacko." he said rolling his eyes.  
  
"No...its just...wow." Theresa said not being able to find the words.  
  
"What about you?" Fox asked.  
  
"What do you mean what about me?"   
  
"How many guys have you slept with besides Ethan?" he persisted.  
  
"Negative 1." she said playing with her hair.  
  
"Negative 1?"  
  
"I haven't slept with anyone, not even Ethan." she said a little embarassed.  
  
Fox sat up and laughed. "How sweet! I always wondered why you seemed so...virginal."  
  
Theresa stared at him angrily as he laughed. "That's not funny! I'm a virgin and I'm proud of it, so there!" she said crossing her arms.  
  
"No, no." Fox said correcting himself. "I mean its good that you are one its just you put on this act..."  
  
"What kind of act?" she asked curiously.  
  
"The independent act." he answered. He looked at her face and saw that he had to clarify himself even more. "You have this look that says 'I'm sexy and experienced but I hate men so you can't have me'."  
  
"Really?" Theresa said smiling. "I never noticed that about myself."  
  
Fox just nodded as he drank his juice.  
  
"So um," she began as she played with the blanket, "you think I'm sexy, huh?" she teased.  
  
Fox looked at her and tried to find a way to start his sentence. "Um, yeah but-"  
  
"That's all I needed to know." she said cutting him off. It was quiet for a few moments and then she looked at him and giggled. "Ha! You think I'm sexy."  
  
"Don't push it." he said turning red.  
  
"Ok Mr. I don't know what the hell to pack for a picnic." she laughed.  
  
"Look, the fireworks are starting!" Fox exclaimed, happy that it would turn Theresa's attention to something else.  
  
After a few minutes of watching the fireworks Theresa became bored. "I seriously don't see how people can look at fireworks for an hour, I mean its just the same thing over and over again and it messes up your ear drums so you're going to be half deaf when its over." she rambled.  
  
Fox didn't answer, he just continued to stare at the fireworks.  
  
Theresa sighed. "Luis once told me that-" she began again but she was cut off by Fox who was now planting a firey kiss on her lips.  
  
He finally let go and turned back to the fireworks.  
  
Theresa sat there stunned as she tried to put what just happened together. "W-why did you kiss me?" she finally asked.  
  
"First because you were rambling about something Luis told you and secondly looking at fireworks is supposed to be romantic and even though nothings going on between us I thought that I'd just do it for the heck of it." he said with his gaze still fixed on the sky.  
  
"Oh." Theresa said a little disappointed as she looked down.  
  
Fox finally turned to her and smiled. "Yeah." He turned back around and Theresa sat there quiet and confused for the rest of the night. 


	11. Mixed Emotions

"So we were having a good time and then all of a sudden there was like this ripping noise and he told me he's slept with 6 women!" Theresa gossiped to Whitney over their coffee at the cafe.  
  
"It doesn't surprise me." Whitney replied as she sipped her drink.  
  
"6 women!" Theresa said emphasizing the 6. "I'm not interested or anything it just...thats a lot of women."  
  
"Are you sure you aren't kidding yourself hun?" Whitney asked.  
  
"Kidding myself about what?" Theresa said fidgeting in her chair.  
  
"About not having feelings for this guy. I mean, you two seem like you're perfect for each other except there's a little glitch with the women thing." she replied smiling.  
  
"Ok, so maybe I do like him a little." Theresa said surrendering.  
  
Whitney raised her eyebrows not believing Theresa was telling her the whole truth.  
  
Theresa sighed and gave Whitney a honest answer. "Ok, ok! So I like him a lot but-"  
  
"But what?" she asked cutting her off.  
  
"But he has like this bad boy image and I've always been the good girl." Theresa said pouting.  
  
Whitney rolled her eyes and smiled. "So. If you two have feelings about each other, who cares about whether you're the bad or good guy!"  
  
"Luis of course." Theresa replied with a serious look on her face.  
  
Whitney looked at her and began to laugh.  
  
"I'm serious! I can see it now," she said putting her hands in the air and faking to read a news headline. "Naive, Innocent, Angelic girl meets bad boy. At first she hates him then she starts to fall for him and he plays with her emotions, gets her in bed, and leaves her."  
  
"That's a pretty long headline!" Whitney laughed.  
  
"I guess." Theresa said playing with her coffee.  
  
"I think that that's just what you're afraid is going to happen."  
  
"I know, and I keep telling myself that it won't...but I'm just scared that I'll get hurt again Whit." she said worriedly.  
  
"But what if it doesn't? What if you hold back on something that could be wonderful?" Whitney advised. "I think that you should give it a shot."  
  
"And what if I do get hurt again?" Theresa asked uneasily.  
  
"Then we'll both go kick his butt!" she joked.  
  
"You're right." Theresa said after thinking for a while. She then stood up from the table. "I'm going to go talk to him so I'll see you later ok?"  
  
"Good luck!" Whitney called after her.  
  
Theresa smiled and took a deep breath, she needed all the luck she could get.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
Theresa spotted Fox at his usual spot at the bar and was making her way over to him when a man stopped her.  
  
"Hey beautiful." he said greeting her.  
  
"I'm not interested. Now if you'll excuse me." Theresa said trying to brush past him but he grabbed her by the arm.  
  
"I can tell your interested and I know you will be after we get to know each other a little." he said smiling. "What do you say?"  
  
"I say get the hell out of my face!" she yelled.  
  
"Baby, what's going on here?" Fox said prying the mans hand off of Theresa's arm.  
  
Theresa narrowed her eyes at Fox's greeting but answered, "I keep telling him I'm not interested but he won't leave me alone."  
  
Fox turned his gaze to the man, "Back off, she's mine." He turned back to Theresa, grabbed her, and kissed her until the man was gone.  
  
Theresa opened her mouth to say something but someone said something before she was able to.  
  
"Ever since when did you two become a couple?" the voice asked.  
  
Theresa turned around to see Ethan staring at them. "Oh, hi Ethan." she said coldly.  
  
"We're not a couple." Fox said shrugging it off.  
  
"Then why were you two kissing?" Ethan asked.  
  
"Kissing?" Fox smiled as he looked at Theresa. "No, you see what happened was she threw herself at me."  
  
"Excuse me?" Theresa said angrily.  
  
"You keep throwing yourself at me like at the restaraunt the other day and the fireworks. You just don't know when to back off do you?" he said still smiling.  
  
"I. You." Theresa was too angry to say anything.  
  
"Ok, whatever. Just be careful around him." Ethan said, then he turned and walked out of the bar.  
  
Theresa stared after Ethan angry at the lie that Fox had told him. Fox began to walk away but Theresa grabbed him and turned him around. "Oh no, don't you walk away mister."  
  
"Why not, you want to throw yourself at me again?" he flirted.  
  
"You think this is a joke don't you? Can't you see that you're playing with my emotions?" she said angrily.  
  
"YOU have emotions?" he replied.  
  
"Yes!" Theresa yelled. "And you don't seem to notice!"  
  
"No, I do notice." he said grinning again. "I notice how much you want me."  
  
"Want you?" she repeated, angry that he knew. "No, thats where you have it wrong, Fox."  
  
"Do I?" he asked surprised.  
  
"Yes! I wouldn't have you even if you were handed to me on a silver platter!" she lied.  
  
Fox didn't answer her, he just smiled.  
  
"Gosh, I wish you'd wipe that cheezy grin off of your face and say something!" Realizing that Fox wasn't Theresa turned to walk away.  
  
"I know you feel something between us when we kiss." he yelled after her.  
  
Theresa slowly turned around to face him. "Yeah, I do feel something." she said softly. "I feel a cold wall of nothingness with a person behind it who has no sense of someone elses feelings."  
  
"I know that's not all you feel...I can see it in your eyes." he said staring into her deep eyes.  
  
Theresa tried to break the gaze but she couldn't. "You don't care about me or anyone else. You just care about yourself."  
  
"No, I care about you Theresa." he said gently touching her face but she pushed him away.   
  
"Don't." she said.  
  
"Tell me you can't feel anything when I do this." he slowly brought his lips to hers and kissed them with all the emotions he had in him.  
  
Electricity ran through Theresa's body as she felt the warmth of Fox's lips against hers. Instead of giving in, she pushed away and looked him in the eyes. ''I feel nothing." she stated. She unwraveled her fingers from Fox's and walked out of the Blue Note. 


	12. The Same Mistake

Theresa angrily slammed her purse on the bench as she sat down. She couldn't believe what had just happened. How could Fox be so blind when it came to her emotions! One minute he was joking about her throwing herself at him and not being interested and the next he was saying he felt something when they kissed. "Men." she said to herself. "I just don't understand them."  
  
"I was just saying the same thing about women." a voice said.  
  
Theresa turned around to see Ethan walking towards her. "What do you want?" she said rolling her eyes and turning back around.  
  
"Nothing, I was just coming here to think and wah-lah, you're here too." he said stopping in front of her. He studied her for a while and could tell that she had been crying. "Is everything ok?" he asked concerned.  
  
"What do you care?" she said vehemently.  
  
"I care about how you're doing." he replied but she didn't answer. "Can I sit here?" he asked motioning towards the empty space on the bench where her purse was.  
  
Theresa didn't say a sound but she picked up her purse and put it in her lap.  
  
Ethan drummed his fingers looking for something to say. "The stars are beautiful." he finally said.  
  
"Coming up with something about the weather to start a conversation isn't going to work. Just get to the point." Theresa sighed.  
  
"Does this have something to do with Fox?" he said defensively.  
  
"Yeah, doesn't that make your day." she said sarcastically. "Finally the point that you've made about Fox hurting me has been proven. Congratulations."  
  
"Theresa, I'm so sorry to hear that." he answered.  
  
"So why are you here?" she asked curiously.  
  
"I left Gwen." he said looking down.  
  
"Really? Let me congratulate you on that to! You finally know what its like to have your heart broken!"  
  
"Theresa-"  
  
"Oh, thats right! I'm sorry. You were OBLIGATED to Gwen so your heart wasn't broken because you never loved her." she said both angrily and sarcastically.  
  
"You're right. She was carrying my child, but now that its lost..." he said drifting off.  
  
"So you finally came to your senses huh? Too bad that its too late cause the damage has already been done, Ethan." she said shakily.  
  
Ethan sighed. "I know, and I'm really sorry about that Theresa, but-"  
  
"But WHAT?" she said blowing up. "You want to make it up to me now with one of your fancy dinners or your fancy words? Huh? Well that can't buy me anymore, Ethan. That's where you really screwed up, you thought money could buy love but NOTHING can buy my love! Nothing! So why don't you waddle to your little girlfriend and cry to her about how she's the only one who can understand you cause I don't give a damn!"  
  
Ethan took in everything that Theresa said but kept his calm because he knew how much he had hurt her. Not knowing what to say, he got up from the bench. "You remember that blue dress that I had bought for you, but was too big so I was going to return it? She was wearing it and it made me realize my mistake." he sighed and slowly walked away.  
  
A tear trickled down Theresa's eye as Ethan's last words rang in her head. Suddenly with a magic boost of confidence Theresa wiped it away and knew that she couldn't let herself make the same mistake with Fox.   
  
"I'll go to Fox and talk things out, but I won't open up my emotions to him just to be safe." she said laying out the plan. "Just because I'm going to go make things up with him doesn't mean I'm going to let go of being Miss Independent. I'm just taking it to a new level and I'm going to show him that I can be as bad as he is. Its time he gets a little taste of his own medicine." She said grinning. She jumped off of the bench and went off to find Fox. 


	13. Two Can Play the Game

Fox tied his robe tighter and bent down to pick up his newspaper. He then saw a womans shoe clamp down on his hand. He slowly looked up taking in the nice view of the curvy legs and body until he saw it was Theresa. "Hi." he said standing up.  
  
"Hi." she said without smiling. She walked past him into the mansion as he followed and closed the door behind him.  
  
"I don't mean to sound harsh or anything, but what do you want?" he asked curiously.  
  
"I want what you want." she said flashing him a sexy grin.  
  
"And what exactly is that?" he flirted.  
  
"Oh, you know." she smirked.  
  
"Not really. I'm a fickled man, I don't really know what I want." he said crossing his arms.  
  
"Well then," she said playing with his robe, "why don't I make that decision for you?"  
  
Fox chuckled as he pushed her off. "Ok, what's going on? You were just yelling at me last night about how I didn't care about your feelings and now you trying to get in bed with me? What are you trying to prove here Theresa?"  
  
"I'm not trying to prove anything." she lied.  
  
"Then what are you doing?"  
  
"I'm trying to confirm something."  
  
"Something?" he asked still not getting it.  
  
"My feelings for you...OUR feelings for each other." she said walking closer to him.  
  
"I thought you wouldn't have me not even on a silver platter." he joked.  
  
"Passion can hide lies, but lies can't hide passion." she whispered into his ear.  
  
"So where does that leave us?"  
  
"It leaves us in the moment, and I know exactly what we should do." She slowly and confidently pulled Fox into a hot kiss and began to make her moves. Even though she was scared and nervous inside, she didn't let it show.  
  
__________________________________________________________________  
  
Fox looked over at Theresa as she slept. She had finally admitted her feelings for him and he admitted his feelings for her.   
  
Even though they had something going now he wasn't going to quite open up yet. All his life he was the man who had a different woman every night and what would his friends think if he committed? Theresa was independent herself anyway, so how would he know that she wasn't going to dump him like he dumped all his other girlfriends? He vowed that he would not get in too deep, and to be safe he wasn't going to let go of any of his old habits.  
  
Theresa stirred and slowly opened her eyes. "Hi." she whispered.  
  
"Hey." he said looking down. "You have to make her feel like everythings great." he thought. He flashed a quick smile and kissed her.  
  
"Aww," Theresa thought to herself as she kissed Fox, "he actually is thinking this is going to last! I have to make him think that, I have to stay on top of the plan." She pulled away and stared into his eyes. "I hope we can do that forever." she said caressing his hands.  
  
"Yeah." Fox said smiling. "Poor Theresa, she already thinks that because we slept together we're married or something." he thought. He let go of her and got up to pack his suitcase.  
  
Theresa stared at Fox as he threw clothes into his suitcase. "What are you doing?" she said getting out of the bed.  
  
"I''m packing...I'm going to Los Angeles for a week on a business trip." he said as if she already knew.  
  
"Oh." she said pretending to be hurt even though she was a little disappointed.  
  
"Aww, she's actually going to miss me. You've got to make her think that you're not staying committed while you're in Los Angeles." he thought to himself. "Oh?"  
  
"Yeah," she said acting as if she was taken off guard. "I, I, just thought that um..."  
  
Fox smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "Last night was great, but its not like we're married now or anything."  
  
"Yes! He's buying the act but he's taking it the wrong way!" she thought. "Uh, no, it was just uh. I just want to let you know that I don't care if you sleep with someone else during your trip cause who knows, I might too while you're gone!" she lied.  
  
"Man, she must have read my mind." he thought. "Well, I'll remember that during my trip if I get lonely."  
  
"Good. Well...I'm going to go take a shower so, see you later?" she said motioning towards the bathroom.  
  
"Yeah, bye." he said giving her a long kiss. Part of him didn't want to let go and wanted to stay with her but he remembered his plan and watched her as she walked off. 


	14. In Too Deep

Theresa groaned as she woke up. She didn't want to go anywhere, she just wanted to stay in bed. There was nothing for her to look forward too and nothing for her to do. Fox was gone on his business trip and she missed him terribly. Whitney was still in Harmony but she seemed busy all the time.   
  
Theresa grabbed the remote and looked for something on TV. After flipping through many channels she turned it off. There were happy couples in love everywhere!   
  
"Why can't I be like that instead of laying here feeling sorry for myself." she whined. A tear rolled down her cheek quickly followed by another and then she began to cry. She didn't have a reason to be crying, she just cried. She didn't know whether it was because she pitied herself, because she was lonely, or because she had nothing else to do.   
  
She finally pulled herself together and walked to the bathroom. She stopped as she looked in the mirror at the reflection of a person with tear stained cheeks. Sighing, she wiped her eyes with a tissue.   
  
"You can't do this to yourself Theresa. You have to be strong." she said to herself as she took a deep breath, but that confidence didn't stay long. It left as quickly as it came and she began to cry again.   
  
"What's happening to me?" she said in between tears. She felt so empty inside. She felt like there was no yesterday and no tomorrow. Everyday was the same. Wake up and make people think that she was stronger than what she actually was. If only they knew. Inside she was a weak, vulnerable and naive person who just wanted to feel love in any way that she could, even if it meant rejecting it.   
  
She yearned for a love that was secure and that she knew would be there no matter what. Yes, her family loved her but that wasn't enough to fill the gigantic hole in her heart. If only Fox felt the same way. If only Fox knew how she felt, but she couldn't tell him because he could use it to his advantage.  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of her phone. She slowly trudged over to her nightstand and picked up the phone.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hi Theresa, its Ethan." the voice said.  
  
"Oh, hi." she said not excited.  
  
"Look, I really need someone to talk to and I was wondering if you were busy or not." he said.  
  
"No, I'm not busy. I'm just sitting here moping around." she sighed.  
  
"Do you mind if I come over?" he asked.  
  
After a whiles thought she finally answered. "No, I guess not. I could use the company."  
  
"Ok, I'll be there right away!" he said happily and hanging up.  
  
Theresa sighed and made her bed. Maybe Ethan coming over would make her feel better.  
  
_____________________________________________________________________________  
  
"So, how are you and Fox?" Ethan said trying to make a conversation.  
  
"There is no Fox and I." Theresa said sadly.  
  
"Oh. Sorry, I forgot that you told me that already."  
  
"That's ok." she said lightly smiling. It was weird how she thought that she was over Ethan but when he was around she still became nervous and had a shortness of breath. Maybe it was nothing. Just because she felt that didn't mean she still had feelings for him. She felt feelings stronger when she was with Fox.   
  
"Theresa," he began, "if I've said this already, I'm sorry, but I want you to hear me again. I'm really sorry about the whole mess with marrying Gwen and everything-"  
  
"No, no, don't. You made the right choice." she said looking away.  
  
"No I didn't. I chose duty over love...Theresa, I loved you with all my heart. Even though I married Gwen my heart still belonged to you no matter what."  
  
There was a long silence and Theresa finally spoke. "You could have told me you know...It would have been so much easier if I found out from you instead of finding out from Gwen. I just felt so betrayed and hurt like my whole world was falling apart."  
  
"I know, I wanted to tell you but she did before I could." he said looking her in the eyes.  
  
"That would have been better you know." she said trying to laugh. Her smile faded and Ethan could tell she was on the brink of tears.  
  
Without hesitation he reached out for her and held her in his arms. "You mean everything to me." he whispered as he ran his fingers through her hair.  
  
Theresa sighed as her head rested against that familiar spot. She finally felt as if she were something that someone cared about.   
  
She didn't love Ethan and if she were in her right mind she wouldn't even let him near her but she was too hurt and wounded, she needed to feel love. She wanted to feel love. She longed for the happiness and joy of knowing that you had someones heart and someone had yours...That someone cared about what made you happy and what made you cry.   
  
"Tell me you love me. Please." she murmured into his chest.  
  
Ethan pulled her away and looked deep into her eyes. "I love you and nothing is ever going to change that."  
  
With his words Theresa felt a small space of the hole in her heart being patched up. "I've been wanting to hear that from someone for so long." she said as a tear slid down her cheek.  
  
Ethan smiled and kissed her tears away. "I love you, I love you, I love you." he whispered in her ear over and over again.  
  
"What exactly is going on here?" an angry voice said interuppting them.  
  
Theresa pulled away to see Fox standing in the doorway with flowers in his hand. "Fox!" she said jumping up and wiping her face. "Nothing. Um, I thought that you were in LA for a week."  
  
"I finished my job earlier than expected, I was going to surprise you." he said looking from her to Ethan.   
  
"Why don't I leave." Ethan said getting up and giving Theresa a quick hug.   
  
Theresa whispered a quick bye as he walked out.   
  
"What the hell was that about?" Fox demanded.  
  
"Nothing." she said turning her attention to him.  
  
"Don't tell me nothing! I walk in here and he's holding you telling you he loves you!" Fox said as his voice began to rise.  
  
"Don't yell at me!" she screamed back. She sighed and sank down on the bed.  
  
"I'm sorry, its just that took me by suprise." he said in a normal voice.   
  
"Why do you care anyway?" she said rolling her eyes.  
  
"What's going on here? When I left you didn't want me to go and now you don't want me to be here." he said hurt.  
  
Theresa didn't answer, she just looked straight ahead with an empty stare.  
  
"You're not in the mood to talk to me. I'm starting to get into you and you're not even responding with a single word!"   
  
"I don't have anything to say." she said sharply.  
  
"Just let go! Would you let go!" he yelled.  
  
"Ok." she said pursing her lips.  
  
"What?" he said giving up. "I'm not going to waste my time with this."  
  
"Go ahead, we're not tied to each other remember? We're two independent people who go on there on seperate ways! Go find some whore, sleep with her, and call me tomorrow. That's what you always do, isn't it?" she said sarcastically.  
  
"Would you stop this?" he boomed.  
  
"Stop what?" she answered at the same level as him.  
  
"This...can't you see? I am in love with you, Theresa! I don't want anyone else but you and you don't even care!" he said finally opening up.  
  
Theresa blinked and slowly looked at him. "You...love me?" she asked.  
  
"Yes. I didn't tell you because I didn't know what you'd think." he said quietly and truthfully.  
  
"You don't ever have to be scared to tell me anything." she said putting his face in her hands.  
  
"How do you feel about me?" he asked.  
  
Theresa sighed. "I um, I have strong feelings for you." she answered, scared to tell him that she loved him too. Telling Fox that she loved him would just throw away her whole independence and she couldn't do that. She still was too uneasy.  
  
"Oh." he said a little disappointed. "A little like love?"  
  
"Sort of, but in my mind its not called love." she replied.  
  
"Then why can't you just say it? Why can't you say the words I want to hear? If you feel it just say it! How hard is it to say I love you?" he yelled angrily.   
  
"Because I can't! I just can't!" she yelled back.  
  
"Why can't you just let go? Just because one person hurt you doesn't mean that everyone else is setting out to hurt you! Let go!"   
  
"Oh don't even start on me Mr. I sleep with lots of women!" she said jumping up and looking him in the face.  
  
"And don't you try to defend yourself Miss I have to be independent cause I'm scared every man that comes my way is going to hurt me! Miss I can't move on with life!" he argued.  
  
"Don't even try to make me the target of this, Fox! You're just mad that I'm confident about myself and life and that I don't need any man to make me happy!" she said trying to defend herself.  
  
"You are so phony." he said a little more calm. "You put on this act so no one can see how insecure you are about yourself and how much you hate yourself and life. You're the exact opposite of what people make you out to be!"  
  
"What do you care? You don't see the real ME you just my BODY. All you care about is pleasure and that's IT!" she screamed.  
  
"You self righteous bitch!" he said angrily.  
  
Theresa took a step back as if she had been slapped in the face. "I was right about you." she said softly as tears streamed down her face. "You don't even care, you don't even know what its like to love." she turned and walked over to her door and opened it. "Get out."  
  
"Gladly. Here's your flowers." he said shoving the now wilted daisy's into her arms. He took one last look at her and stormed out.  
  
Theresa slowly closed the door and banged her head against it. "Thanks for screwing that up." she said sarcastically to herself. She looked at the flowers that Fox had bought for her and she began to sob. The person that she cared the most about hated her and she hated herself. Her worst fears had now become true. 


	15. Our Little Secret

Theresa sighed as she threw her keys down on her desk. Today had been a long day and she was ready to kick back and relax. Wanting to take a long hot shower, she pulled her hair back and went to turn the water on so it would be nice and hot when she got in. She took off her shoes and went to reach for a towel when someone stepped out of the shadows. Frightened and surprised, she gasped. "Who are you?" she said fearfully.  
  
The person did not answer and she couldn't tell because half of there face was shadowed.   
  
"Tell me who you are or I'm going to call the police." she said backing up towards her phone.  
  
"You didn't call them last time. Remember our promise?" a man's voice said.  
  
"What are you talking about?" she said confused.  
  
"Don't you remember? I was your dad's friend. I took you for walks down to the lake." he said.  
  
Theresa then began to remember.  
  
*Flashback*  
  
"Isn't the lake beautiful?" Theresa's fathers friend said as they sat on a rock near the lake.  
  
"Yes." a young Theresa answered as she licked the remainder of her popsicle.  
  
"Have you ever wondered what its like to be a grownup?" he asked.  
  
Theresa nodded, "Yes."  
  
"How would you like to do something that would make you a grownup?"  
  
"I would love to!" Theresa exclaimed in excitement.  
  
"Good." he said grinning. "Now this has to be our little secret, ok?"  
  
Theresa nodded and waited for whatever was going to make her a grownup. She waited patiently as he slid down her underwear and put his hands up her skirt. She waited patiently as she felt his fingers move against her private part wishing he would tell her how she could become a grownup. Soon he slid her underwear back on and smiled at her.  
  
"You're a grownup now." he said with a perverted smile on his face.  
  
"Yay! I don't have to follow rules anymore!" she said giddily, not knowing what he had just done to her.   
  
"You have to promise me you'll never tell anyone our secret, ok?" he said putting his hand over her heart.  
  
"Promise!"  
  
*End of Flashback*  
  
"Oh gosh, you pervert! Stay away from me!" Theresa screamed.  
  
The man stepped out of the shadows as his face haunted Theresa. He took a few steps towards Theresa and she nervously backed away.  
  
"I'm calling the cops and you're going to go to jail." she said reaching for the phone, but before she could pick it up he ripped the cord out of the wall. Theresa stood in horror as she watched the only thing that could save her from this man destroyed. She looked from the torn cord back to him. "Don't touch me!"  
  
He didn't answer, he just walked over to her door and locked it. Theresa grew more nervous as he circled her. "I heard the little conversation between you and your boyfriend about how you're not who you say you are." he finally said.  
  
"Its none of your business." she said as her eyes full of fire darted at him.  
  
"You seem to be charming and good like your mother says you are." he said staring at her. "If I could get you to like me I'd be so happy."  
  
"You should have gone to jail for what you did to me." Theresa said unnerved.  
  
"I don't force myself on little girls." he said raising his voice.  
  
"Yes you do, you did it to me!" she argued.  
  
"Are you calling me a liar?" he bellowed.  
  
"No, I wasn't calling you a liar." she said noticing how angry he had gotten.  
  
"Oh." he said calming down and brushing his hand against her cheek. "You've gotten so beautiful." he murmured.  
  
"Why don't you go?" Theresa suggested. "I'm tired, you probably are too."  
  
"Not until you give me what I need." he replied.  
  
Theresa stared in horror and racked her brain as to what she was going to do to make him leave.  
  
He walked over to the CD player and started it as the music filled the room. "Dance with me." he said forcefully.  
  
Scared to what he would do to her if she objected, Theresa obeyed his command. She shivered as she felt his cold arms wrap around her.  
  
"Close your eyes and pretend I'm your boyfriend." he ordered.  
  
Theresa slowly closed her eyes, mesmerized by what was happening. The song finally ended and she pulled away. "I'm tired." she repeated.  
  
"Let's have another dance. You transformed your boyfriend with your love, maybe you can do the same for me." he said sickly.  
  
Scared and horrified, Theresa stood stiffly as he put his arms around her again. As they danced she felt him slip his hand under her shirt. Tears streamed down Theresa's face at the feeling he gave her. He felt like a slime that she wanted to throw away.   
  
"I wish I could be with you all the time." he whispered.  
  
Theresa finally pushed away and stood up to him. "Well you can't because you're a sick perverted man who goes after children!"  
  
"SHUTUP!" he yelled with a sudden burst of anger. He grabbed her and threw her down on the bed.  
  
"No!" Theresa screamed, clawing and kicking at him. "Let me go!"   
  
Knowing he had more power than Theresa, he held her down with one hand and began to pull down her pants and underwear with the other hand. "Our little secret." he whispered.  
  
"NO!" Theresa yelled sobbing. She struggled to push him off, but to no avail he forced himself into her. "Don't do this! Please don't do this!" she cried. But her cries didn't help at all.  
  
____________________________________________________________________  
  
A stunned Theresa sat motionless on her bed as she thought about the events of last night. Her shirt was torn, she had bruises all over her body, and she felt filthy. Tears fell down her cheeks and she looked straight ahead with a blank stare.   
  
She then heard a knock on the door but she didn't move. She just sat there in shock. They knocked again and she finally opened the door. It was Fox.  
  
"Hi, can I come in?" he asked.  
  
Theresa nodded and stepped back.  
  
Fox walked in the room puzzled at why everything was in a mess. "What happened here? Did a tornado come through?" he joked.  
  
"No, I was raped." Theresa thought to herself. A tear slid down her cheek and she slowly sat down on the bed.  
  
"Theresa? What's wrong?" he said seeing that something was wrong.  
  
"Nothing." she managed to say.  
  
Fox walked over to her, "Are you sure? Just tell me if something's wrong." he said putting his arm on her shoulder.  
  
Theresa forcefully shrugged his hand off. "Don't touch me!"  
  
"Look if this is about the other day, I'm really sorry." he said apologizing.  
  
Theresa once again didn't answer as if he wasn't there.  
  
Fox noticed a bruise on her shoulder and a rip in her shirt. "Theresa, are you sure everything ok?" he asked concerned.  
  
"I'm fine, just leave me alone." she said as if she were on her on planet.  
  
Fox nodded and headed for the door. He began to turn the door knob and Theresa began to have a flashback of when her rapist had locked the door.  
  
"No! Just leave! I'm tired!" she sobbed breaking down.   
  
"What?" Fox asked turning around. He walked over to her and reached out for her.  
  
Theresa stared in horror as the man walked toward her, reaching for her, telling her he could help her. "No! Stay away from me!" she screamed. His image then transformed back to Fox's image.  
  
"If thats what you want." Fox said puzzled. He slowly backed out and left Theresa alone.   
  
"Our little secret." the voice said repeating in her head. Theresa closed her eyes and she became consumed with hurtful memories. 


	16. This is For You

Fox breathlessy ran into the police station. He circled around until he finally saw Luis at his desk and ran over to him. "Luis." he said trying to catch his breath.  
  
"Fox?" Luis said looking up. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Theresa." Fox said, still out of breath.  
  
"What about her?" he asked as a worried look creased across his forehead.  
  
Fox held up his hand until he caught his breath. "I don't know what's wrong, she won't tell me." he finally said.  
  
"What's your point?" Luis asked quizzically.  
  
"I went to her house a couple of days ago and when I walked into her room it was in a complete mess. I joked about how it looked like a tornado had come through and she just answered me with a blank stare.." he said drifting off.  
  
"Why are you coming to me about your relationship problems? I'm a police officer for goodness sakes! What does that have to do with me?" Luis replied agitated.  
  
"Wait, there's more." Fox said cutting him off. "Her shirt was ripped and she had a few bruises on her arm...I didn't really think anything of it until now..."  
  
Luis's agitation was immediately replaced with concern. "Did she come up with a reason for that?"  
  
"No. She hardly said anything..." he paused. "She seemed as if she was in a totally different world."  
  
"Hmm." Luis said thinking about why Theresa might be acting this way. "She never said anything to me about it." he said rubbing his hands together in worry.  
  
"Luis, I really think something is wrong." Fox said equally worried. "I mean, Theresa never acts like that...she just wasn't herself."  
  
Luis paused and thought for a while. "Go visit her and if she still seems distant, let me know." he answered as his phone rang.  
  
Fox nodded and hurried off to Theresa's house.  
  
____________________________________________________________________  
  
Theresa waited patiently for Dr. Russell to come back into the hospital room with the papers. Theresa had recently found out that she was pregnant, and scared of who the father might be, she decided to have an abortion.   
  
Her mother didn't know and she knew that she would throw a fit. Theresa didn't want to have an abortion but she didn't really have a choice. She had thought through it, and she believed that it was the best solution.  
  
"I have the papers." Dr. Russell said entering into the room. She then changed from the physician to the motherly figure. "Are you sure about this, Theresa? A baby can be such a joy to have in your life."  
  
"I'm sure." Theresa said not hesitating.  
  
"There's no greater feeling than the pain of loosing a child like when I lost my son..." Eve said drifting off. "Well," she said snapping out of her daze "make sure you read the papers carefully, and think about this carefully." she said slowly handing her the papers.  
  
Theresa quickly flipped through all the paperwork, not paying attention to the guidelines until she came to the place where she was supposed to sign. "Do you have a pen?" she asked without looking up.  
  
"Um..yes." Dr. Russell said handing her a pen. "You're really sure about this?"  
  
Theresa didn't answer, she just quickly scribbled her signature and handed the papers and pen back to Dr. Russell without a word.  
  
A worried Eve nodded and forced a fake smile. "The nurse should be in soon to tell you what you have to do." she looked at a distant Theresa and slowly walked out of the room.  
  
Theresa looked down at her stomach and rubbed it. "I'm doing this for you." she whispered.   
  
"Its good that you're keeping it our little secret." a voice said.  
  
Theresa looked up and the dillusion of her rapist was in the room. "No, go away!" she said backing into the wall.  
  
"M'am?" a womans voice said.  
  
Theresa looked again to see the nurse staring at her oddly. "Um, sorry about that." Theresa said looking down.  
  
The nurse just nodded. "If you do exactly what I tell you to then everything will be fine." she reassured her.  
  
"This is for you." Theresa said speaking her final words to the baby that was forming in her. "This is for you." she repeated. 


	17. Save Me From Myself

Theresa closed the door behind her as she entered her house. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she fished around in a closet for a suitcase. As if in a rush, she ran into her room and threw the suitcase down on the bed. "I've got to get out of here." she said pausing as she looked around.  
  
She darted to her closet and began to fill her suitcase with clothes. When it was full, she zipped it closed, picked it up and made her way towards the door. Grabbing her keys and without a second thought she opened the door only to see who she was running from standing in front of her.  
  
"I thought I told you to leave me alone!" she shouted as she dropped her suitcase.  
  
"What are you talking about?" he said taking a step closer to her.  
  
"Go away!" she screamed as she began to hit at him.  
  
"What is your problem?" he yelled, overtopping her voice.  
  
"I just want you to leave me alone." she said beginning to sob.  
  
"Theresa, is there something I did wrong?" she finally heard Fox's voice say.  
  
"Fox?" she said as his image appeared.  
  
"Are you ok Theresa? I'm worried about you." he said searching her eyes for the answers.  
  
"I'm fine." she said hoarsely and looking away.  
  
"Are you sure?" he asked again.  
  
She nodded and walked past him.  
  
Fox looked down at the suitcase, "Are you going somewhere?" he asked.  
  
Theresa's eyes widened as she looked down at the suitcase. "I......no." she finally answered.  
  
"Don't lie to me." he said taking a step towards her.  
  
Theresa frightfully took a step back. "Don't...don't touch me."  
  
"Why?" he asked hurt.  
  
"I...I just need to be alone." she said coming up with an excuse.  
  
"I'm not leaving you alone until you tell me what's going on!" he demanded.  
  
"No." she said shaking her head. "You wouldn't understand."  
  
"You wouldn't know that unless you told me." Fox pleaded with her.  
  
Theresa looked at him with hope. Maybe he could help her through this. Maybe he was the one that she needed to get past everything. Theresa shook her head again. "No." she said quietly.  
  
"Fine, have it your way." Fox said throwing his hands in the air. "But, I'm still not going to leave you alone."  
  
"Right, because I'm leaving YOU alone." Theresa said. She brushed past Fox and bounded out the door.  
  
________________________________________________________  
  
The moon shined brightly onto the water. Theresa sat on the wharf just watching the world as it changed. It seemed like it took so long for morning to turn into night. Night into day. She knew that just like that it would take her a long time to heal. She didn't know if she could tell anyone.   
  
"Why did this have to happen to me?" she whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek.  
  
"Because you're special." a voice said.  
  
Theresa quickly turned around and came face to face with him. Tension rose inside of her as she got up and backed away from him. "Go away! You're not real!" she yelled.  
  
"I'm very real." he said backing a scared Theresa onto a post.  
  
Theresa smelt the liquor on his breath and tried to turn away. "You dirty bastard!" she yelled. With one swift move she shoved him, sending him tumbling down onto the ground.  
  
_____________________________________________________  
  
Fox glanced down at his watch again as he waited for Theresa. It had been hours since she had ran off and she hadn't been back. "I wonder if she's ok." he worried.  
  
He had a feeling that everything wasn't ok. He got up from his seat in her living room. He needed to find her now, he sensed that she was in danger.  
  
_________________________________________________________  
  
Theresa stared horrified as his lifeless body lay on the cold wharf. "Oh my gosh." she said to herself. "I think I killed him!" To make sure that her accusations were right, she slowly bent down to feel his palse.   
  
Like a jack in the box he immediately sprung up and grabbed her.  
  
"NO!" Theresa screamed startled. She kneed him in the shin sending him backwards again. She looked desperately around for help.  
  
Remembering a swiss knife that she had in her purse, she dove for it and frantically ramsacked it for her knife. She felt it in her hand and nervously pulled it out, pointing it at her attacker.  
  
"You're not going to stab me." he said laughing. "You don't have the guts just like you didn't have the guts to tell your father."  
  
"You lied to me! I was a naive little girl who didn't know what else to believe!" she shouted back.  
  
"You didn't tell anyone about what happened recently." he said taking a step towards her.  
  
________________________________________________________________  
  
"Stay back!" Fox heard Theresa's voice yell.   
  
"Theresa!" he whispered. He ran around the wharf towards her voice.  
  
________________________________________________________  
  
"If you don't think I won't kill you, you're in for a surprise!" she threatened as she shook the knife.  
  
"You would throw your life away if you killed me. It would take EVERYTHING away from you." he said trying to change her mind.  
  
"No, YOU took everything away from me!" she cried angrily. "You took my pride, you took my self esteem, you took my confidence, and most of all you took away my child."  
  
____________________________________________________________  
  
Fox paused, stunned at Theresa's words. He saw her standing there with a knife pointed at nothing. Was the child that she lost their's? And who was she talking to?  
  
__________________________________________________________  
  
"What child?" Fox said suddenly appearing behind Theresa.  
  
Theresa turned around and stared at Fox. "He made me do it!" she said illusioned as she pointed at what she thought was a person.  
  
"There's nobody there, Theresa." Fox said confused.  
  
"Yes there is! Can't you see him!" she screamed. Her eyes widened as her rapist walked behind Fox and was ready to choke him. "Fox! Watch out!" she yelled. She dashed at him with her knife not wanting him to harm the one she loved.  
  
Theresa crashed to the ground as Fox darted out of the way.  
  
"I'm worried about you Theresa." Fox said with a concerned look on his face.  
  
Theresa looked up to only see Fox standing there. "He...he left!"  
  
"He was never here." Fox said trying to understand.  
  
"No! You have to catch him! You can't let him get away!" she screamed jumping up.  
  
"I'm calling Luis." Fox said staring as he reached for his cell phone.  
  
"Yes, call him. He'll catch him, I know he will." Theresa said looking around.  
  
Fox told Luis how Theresa was acting strangely and hung up the phone. "Luis is on his way." he informed her. "We're...we're just going to stay RIGHT here, ok?"  
  
Theresa just nodded and slowly sat down on the bench. "He was daddy's friend." she said after a few minutes.  
  
Fox looked over at Theresa torn that the woman he loved was acting this way. "Everything's going to be okay, Theresa. I promise." he whispered as he put his arms around her.  
  
"I know you'll make everything ok. I love you Fox." she murmured back.  
  
Fox looked down at Theresa as his heart began to beat wildly. "I love you too Theresa." he answered.  
  
Theresa and Fox sat on the bench in each other's arm watching the world change together.   
  
"Please let Theresa be alright." Fox prayed. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment while he could. 


	18. Confused

"This is a little weird." Theresa murmured as she lay in Fox's arms.  
  
"Why do you say that?" he asked, stroking his fingers through her hair.  
  
"We were just friends one day and now..." she drifted off.  
  
"Are you ready to tell everyone about us?" Fox asked.  
  
Theresa sat up and bit her bottom lip. "I'm not sure. I mean, everything's starting to die down with the rape stuff since the guys behind bars, and I know that everyone would make a big case about it."  
  
Fox raised his eyebrows. "Everyone?"  
  
"Yeah." she replied.  
  
"Exactly who is 'everyone'?" he asked curiously.  
  
Theresa looked down and didn't answer.  
  
"It's Ethan isn't it? You don't want to tell him?" he said reading her mind.  
  
Theresa sighed and faced Fox. "Ethan's gone through so much recently with him leaving Gwen and loosing his baby and me not returning his feelings..."  
  
"So now you want to be sympathetic?"  
  
"Basically."  
  
Fox let out a loud sigh and rolled his eyes.  
  
"I don't want to add onto his mountain of troubles." she argued.  
  
"You love me and that's all that matters, right?" he said trying to get his point across.  
  
Theresa nodded. "Yeah, but-"  
  
"But WHAT? Who cares what Ethan thinks. I know you believe in fate and obviously we're meant for each other so that means Ethan will find someone else."  
  
Theresa paused and thought for a moment. "You're right."  
  
"You better know it." he said jokingly.  
  
Smiling, Theresa crossed her arms across her chest. "And if I don't."  
  
Fox leaned across and kissed her. "Now you do."  
  
Theresa giggled and pulled Fox in for a longer kiss.  
  
____________________________________________________________  
  
"Hey there." Ethan said pulling up a chair next to Theresa at the cafe.  
  
"Hey." Theresa said looking up and giving him a bright smile.  
  
"What are you doing?" he said pointing at the papers.  
  
"Oh." Theresa said putting the papers she had been looking through into a stack. "Just reading over these papers."  
  
Ethan opened his mouth to say something but they were interrupted by Whitney's squeals.  
  
"Theresa!" she exclaimed as she excitedly made her way over to the table.  
  
"Hey Whit! What's up?" Theresa said greeting her friend.  
  
"Ah! Why didn't you tell me!" Whitney said grinning.  
  
"Tell you WHAT?" Theresa asked narrowing her eyebrows.  
  
"You know, that you and Fox are dating! That is so great!" she squealed.  
  
"Um." Theresa said looking over at Ethan who had a shocked expression on his face just like Theresa. "Yeah." she said turning back to Whitney.  
  
Whitney read her friends face and replied, "Is now not a good time?"  
  
"No! It's..uh, its great timing!" she lied.  
  
"Well I have to meet Chad at the studio anyway so I'll be going! Bye!" she said leaving as fast as she entered.  
  
Theresa stared after Whitney thinking of what she was going to say to Ethan.  
  
"You...and Fox...are dating?" he finally managed to get out.  
  
"Yeah." Theresa sighed.  
  
"Why?" he asked.  
  
"Why?" Theresa repeated. "Because we like each other, that's why!"  
  
"But I thought you said that you didn't like him."  
  
"Well obviously I do now." she said getting defensive.  
  
"Out of all people why Fox? Fox is like slime!" Ethan said disgusted.  
  
"He is not!" Theresa said angrily.  
  
"Hi there." Ivy said suddenly appearing.  
  
"Mother." Ethan said sitting up.  
  
"Am I interuppting something?" she asked looking from Ethan to Theresa.  
  
"Matter of a fact you are. Theresa was just telling me that she and your son are dating." Ethan said turning to Theresa.  
  
Theresa sighed and covered her face, angry that Ethan was telling Ivy.  
  
"You and Fox are dating?" Ivy shrieked.  
  
"You heard Ethan." Theresa said quietly.  
  
"You two don't belong together!"  
  
"That's exactly what I was thinking, Mother." Ethan agreed.  
  
"Why not?" Theresa asked.  
  
"Because! Fox is on a whole different level than you." Ivy pointed out.  
  
"Levels can't change love. They can't hold or stop your emotions towards someone." she argued.  
  
"Yes it can. Ethan would never dare to go to a level lower than him, would you Ethan?" she said turning to Ethan.  
  
"N-no." Ethan stuttered.  
  
"No!" Theresa yelled angrily. "So I guess you didn't tell your mother about our little affair...fling...whatever you want to call it!"  
  
"What are you talking about Theresa?" Ivy asked.  
  
"I guess your son never told you how we used to date and he's sitting here acting as if its wrong!"  
  
"Would you excuse us?" Ethan said quickly pulling Theresa from her chair and taking her to a hall.  
  
"What is your problem!" Theresa said pushing him away.  
  
"Why did you tell her?"   
  
"If you can tell my business then I sure as hell have a right to tell your dirty laundry. So why did you agree with her Ethan? Huh?" she said crossing her arms.  
  
"Because when I stooped to your level I realized how stupid and wrong it is!" he yelled.  
  
Theresa felt a sting to her heart at Ethan's words. "How STUPID? Dammit Ethan, it was love!"  
  
"Until you misused it." he replied.  
  
Theresa threw her hands in the air, not believing what she was hearing. "I misused it? No Ethan. From what I recall you're the one who slept with Gwen and got her pregnant while you were dating ME, AND you proposed to her without letting me know first! Don't even try to justify what you did with my relationship with Fox because it is no where near as selfish and heartless as what you did!"  
  
Ethan looked down as his beeper rang. "I have to go. I'm sorry about this whole thing, I'll call you later about dinner or something ok?"  
  
"Why do you do this?" Theresa asked.  
  
"Do what?" he answered.  
  
"Everytime we get in an argument or something you act as if a fancy dinner can make up for it."  
  
"Because I love you, Theresa. Actions speak louder than words." he said softly.  
  
"But words speak to the heart." she answered as a tear threatened to fall down her face.  
  
"And now I know that." he said looking into her eyes.  
  
Theresa felt a tug in her heart to pull Ethan into an embrace but she was interrupted by his beeper once again.  
  
"I really have to get going. Take care of yourself." Ethan said. He took one last look at Theresa and turned to walk away.  
  
Theresa wiped the tear that rolled down her cheek. Feelings began to tangle up inside of her. She felt love, anger, passion, confusion, lonelyness entangled with so many other things. She needed to untangle them and find out what feelings they were and who they belonged to before she made her decision.  
  
_________________________________________________________________  
  
Theresa slowly closed the trunk to her car as she put the last suitcase in. She sighed and turned around to face Fox who was watching her intently.  
  
"Are you sure about this?" he asked.  
  
Theresa nodded. "I think this job in LA will do me good. It'll give me time to heal over the rape...I just really need to be alone."  
  
"Are you ever going to contact me?" Fox said not wanting her to go.  
  
"I'll write you. I promise." she said taking his hand into hers.  
  
"No matter where you are never forget that I love you." he said emotionally.  
  
"I won't." Theresa replied as her vision became blurred with tears. She let go of his hand and walked away from him. Fox hoped that it wouldn't be forever.  
  
(That's the end of Miss Independent Part 1! Soon there will be a sequal even more fun than the original!) 


	19. Matchmaker

Miss Independent Part 2  
  
"Oh come on!" the woman yelled at the car in front of her. She was already late for work and now this car was driving slow. She sat up in her seat and with a quick glance in the rearview mirror she swirved into the next lane only to get a beep from the car she pulled in front of.  
  
"Yeah, whatever." she said rolling her eyes as she sped up. She pulled into her parking space and quickly got out of the car.  
  
"Good morning Miss Lopez-Fitzgerald." the receptionist said cheerfully as Theresa made her way through the door.  
  
"Hi Alice." she said making her way over to her mail box. "Did I get any messages?" she asked as she flipped through her mail.  
  
"Yes. You got a call from Mrs. Roberts saying that she'll scheldule the earliest appointment that she can." Alice answered.  
  
Theresa nodded. "Do I have any appointments today?" she asked.  
  
"No, but you do have that board meeting at 2 o'clock." she informed her.  
  
Theresa groaned and stopped when she realized what she was doing. "Ok, thanks." she said as she made her way to her office. She blew the stray hair out of her face as she threw her purse on the floor next to her chair.   
  
She once again sorted through the mail until she came to a letter addressed to her from Fox Crane. Theresa paused as her began to beat wildly at the thought of her old flame.  
  
She slowly turned the envelope over and quickly opened it, not caring that she was ripping it in half. She quickly unfolded the letter until she finally began to read it.  
  
Theresa,  
  
How are you? I haven't heard from you in almost two months. Is everything going ok with your job? I'm doing great, and here's the latest Harmony gossip. You remember how Kay and Miguel's baby died? Well Charity hooked up with John and now Kay and Miguel are together. What a surprise ending, huh? Whitney and Chad are still together and Ethan and Gwen are starting to make amends once again. And as for me, I'm still a loner. Well thats about it. Sorry for the short letter but I have a meeting to attend to!  
  
Love,  
  
Fox  
  
Theresa stared down at the letter and smiled at the memory of Fox. It had been 2 years now since she had last set foot in Harmony and seen any residents from Harmony. She missed her family so much but she was doing well in LA. She had gotten a job at a local fashion designing company and she loved it.   
  
She was interrupted by the ringing of her phone. Theresa put the letter down on her desk and answered it.   
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hello Theresa? This is Patty." her bosses southern voice droned over the phone.  
  
"Hi, is there anything I can do for you?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, could you run across the street to Starbucks and get 12 decaffinated coffees for the meeting?" she ordered more rather than asked.  
  
Theresa rolled her eyes and responded sweetly, "Sure! I'll go get them now." she hung up the phone and reached for her purse. Another day in her world of being an underdog.  
  
________________________________________________  
  
Theresa unpatiently tapped her fingers on the counter. What was taking them so long to make her 12 coffees? She sighed and turned around to sit in a chair when she felt a hot cup of coffee drip down her suit.   
  
"What the hell is your problem!" she screamed as she fanned herself with napkins.  
  
"I am so sorry Theresa." a womans voice said.  
  
Theresa looked up to see her annoying and clumsy co-worker holding the cup that had just damaged her suit.  
  
"Do you know how much this cost?" she said angrily. "It cost me half of a pay check!"  
  
"I'm sorry!" she said on the verge of tears.  
  
Theresa looked at her and her face melted. "It's ok. I'M sorry for loosing my temper."  
  
She smiled at Theresa's change of attitude. "It's ok."  
  
"So I exaggerated, it was on sale for 40 bucks." Theresa chuckled.  
  
"What a bargain!" she said cheerfully.  
  
"Can, can I ask you a question?" Theresa asked.  
  
"Shoot!" she said as her chipper self.  
  
"How come you're always so happy? Just curious." Theresa asked truthfully.  
  
"Haha!" she said beginning to laugh.  
  
Theresa stared horrified as her co-worker laughed that annoying laugh with a snort in between.  
  
"I guess you could say because I have a little spice in my life." she said winking at Theresa.  
  
"Right. And what exactly is this spice?"  
  
"A boyfriend. I met him online on this website called Matchmaker." she grinned from ear to ear.  
  
"You met him ONLINE." Theresa repeated. "Interesting."  
  
"You may think its weird, but I could really say we're a match made in cyber space!" she said cracking the corniest joke Theresa had ever heard.  
  
Theresa managed to pull off a laugh.  
  
"But really, you should try it. It works."   
  
"M'am, your coffees are ready!" the man said from behind the counter.  
  
"If you'll excuse me..."  
  
"Marcie." the woman completed.  
  
"Marcie." Theresa said smiling and turning away. "I wonder if they can clean my suit in cyber space too!" she muttered under her breath.  
  
______________________________________________________________  
  
Fox sighed as he sank down in his chair. It had been a long day and he wanted to check his e-mail before he went to bed. He paused as he glanced at the picture that rested next to the computer. It was a picture of the one thing that had ever mattered the most to him.   
  
He shook himself out of his daze and scrolled through his inbox.   
  
He still hadn't gotten a response from anyone on his Matchmaker ad that he had posted online. Maybe the whole idea of finding 'love' online was a waste. Fox got up from his seat and turned off his computer and headed for bed.  
  
__________________________________________________  
  
Theresa sighed as she sat down in front of the computer. Today had been a long day and she was whipped. A fellow co-worker had mentioned to her about finding a date online on a website called Matchmaker. Theresa didn't believe that it could work, but she knew that she couldn't doubt fate so she decided to give it a try.  
  
After she signed up, she browsed through the ads of her matches until her eye fell upon one. It was a man in his early 20's who lived on the east coast and was looking for a committed relationship. Deciding to give it a try, with the click of her mouse Theresa sent him an e-mail telling him she was interested.  
  
"That was quick and easy." she said to herself as she closed her internet off. She got up from her chair and headed for her bedroom. 


End file.
